讯息： 11
语言: English
Rota (显示个人资料) 2009年10月10日上午2:15:27
I'm another one of those Americans that show up with only a basic knowledge of Esperanto and ask really low-level questions. Sorry if that's not supposed to go here.
Is there some help with imperatives on lernu.net? I grasp most of the grammar, but- as could be predicted- I'm not sure exactly how to translate imperatives. For example, one of the most basic of verbs, in the title: Esti; to be.
What would that translate as, into English, if someone said "Estu!" to me? I've made some guesses, and maybe it's a word that can't accept the -u suffix without a modifier of some sort ("Estu libera"?), but it's interesting to me.
Thanks,
-rowtuh
RiotNrrd (显示个人资料) 2009年10月10日上午3:33:26
It is simply a command to "be!"
Perhaps something a magician might command as he conjures something out of thin air (just as one example).
ceigered (显示个人资料) 2009年10月10日上午4:05:21
In the case of 'be free', I guess it'd be ok to have 'estu libera', maybe 'estu libere' could be a better way to say it, I'm not entirely sure.
Miland (显示个人资料) 2009年10月10日下午6:49:38
jan aleksan (显示个人资料) 2009年10月11日下午12:47:36
"Let there be light: and there was light."
Other reference: Star Wars:
La forto estu kun vi = may the force be with you (is it the correct english sentence?).
But pay attention to the fact that the -u form is not only imperative, but also volitive. So "mi estu" is able.
Mi mangxu=mi devas/volas mangxi : I need/want to eat.
Rota (显示个人资料) 2009年10月11日下午2:37:59
Thank you, all posters, for the help! I read the first two responses two days ago, but was unfortunately somewhat too busy to respond either then or the next day.
Your help is appreciated. I feel educated, and I'm more able to understand Esperanto now. Thank you.
-rowtuh
