Sub | Esperanto Grammar

The spatial core of sub is a position lower than a reference point, normally more or less beneath it. That geometry extends coherently to covering, lower rank, dependence, pressure, and control: what is sub something is physically or figuratively within its downward reach. English “under” overlaps strongly, but English also uses “under” in idioms that Esperanto expresses differently.

Lower than and beneath

In a static description, sub locates one thing below another:

La kato dormas sub la kuireja tablo.

The cat is sleeping under the kitchen table.

Ni atendis sub la ponto ĝis la pluvego ĉesis.

We waited under the bridge until the downpour stopped.

The lower object is normally within the vertical area of the higher one. Sub la tablo does not merely mean “at a lower elevation than the table somewhere in the building”; it presents the table as the relevant overhead reference.

Contact is possible but not required. A lamp may hang sub la plafono with a gap, while dry leaves can crackle sub viaj piedoj in contact with them.

Sub ŝiaj botoj la freŝa neĝo laŭte knaris.

The fresh snow crunched loudly under her boots.

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Think of sub as vertical or covering alignment, not simply “lower.” For a lower floor with no relevant object directly overhead, en la suba etaĝo is often clearer than inventing a sub phrase.

Static position versus movement into position

As an ordinary spatial preposition, sub takes a complement without -n when it describes an existing position or movement occurring within that lower area:

La infanoj kuris sub la arboj por resti en la ombro.

The children ran beneath the trees to stay in the shade.

Although kuris expresses motion, the children are already moving around in the area beneath the trees. Motion alone does not trigger accusative.

Add directional -n when the endpoint is a newly reached position under the reference object:

Kiam ekpluvis, la infanoj kuris sub la arbojn.

When it began to rain, the children ran under the trees.

Mi ŝovis la rezervan ŝlosilon sub la pordomaton.

I slid the spare key under the doormat.

The minimal contrast is therefore:

Form	Meaning
La hundo kuras sub la tablo.	It runs around while under the table.
La hundo kuras sub la tablon.	It runs from elsewhere into the space under the table.

This is the general logic of Prepositions with Optional Directional -n: -n adds a destination reading; it does not merely agree with a motion verb.

For a source, combine de or el with sub:

Muso elkuris el sub la ŝranko kaj malaperis tra truo en la muro.

A mouse ran out from under the cabinet and disappeared through a hole in the wall.

El sub treats the covered lower area as a space exited. De sub can focus more generally on departure from a position beneath something.

Covering rather than simple height

Sub can describe something concealed or covered, even where vertical height is not the most important feature:

Ŝi portis la dosierujon sub la brako dum ŝi serĉis siajn ŝlosilojn.

She carried the folder under her arm while looking for her keys.

Sub pluraj tavoloj de farbo ni trovis la originalan lignan surfacon.

Under several layers of paint we found the original wooden surface.

The arm presses and partly covers the folder; the paint covers the wood. This same relation motivates compounds such as subvesto and subĉemizo: they are worn beneath another layer.

Compare sub with en. A phone en la sako is inside the bag's containing space. A label sub la sako is below it; a document hidden sub la tegaĵo de la sako is covered by a layer. The prepositions describe different topologies, not different translations of English “in/under.”

Control, authority, and dependence

Physical vertical hierarchy motivates abstract hierarchy. Sub commonly marks the authority, control, supervision, or condition that governs someone or something:

La nova fako laboros sub la rekta respondeco de la financa direktoro.

The new department will work under the direct responsibility of the finance director.

La historia konstruaĵo nun estas sub ŝtata protekto.

The historic building is now under state protection.

Ĉiuj datumoj restas sub la kontrolo de la esplorpartoprenantoj.

All data remain under the control of the research participants.

The governing noun matters. Sub gvidado, sub kontrolo, sub protekto, and sub estreco are conventional. Do not replace the established relation with vague je.

Directional -n can appear figuratively when a new controlled state is reached:

Post la puĉo la armeo metis la ĉefurbon sub sian kontrolon.

After the coup, the army placed the capital under its control.

The city moves conceptually from one status into another. Compare static La ĉefurbo restis sub armea kontrolo.

Pressure, influence, and conditions

Conditions can be conceptualized as forces pressing from above:

Ne subskribu la kontrakton sub premo.

Do not sign the contract under pressure.

Sub la influo de forta vento la fajro rapide disvastiĝis.

Under the influence of a strong wind, the fire spread rapidly.

— Ĉu la propono validas sen limdato? — Ne, ĝi validas nur sub du kondiĉoj.

— Is the offer valid without a deadline? — No, it is valid only under two conditions.

These are productive metaphors, but not every English “under” belongs here. English under construction is normally konstruata or en konstruado; under discussion is diskutata; under five minutes is malpli ol kvin minutoj. Translate the relationship, not the English preposition.

Names, labels, and concealment

Sub also marks a name, title, or pretext that covers the reality beneath it:

La aŭtoro publikigis la romanon sub kaŝnomo.

The author published the novel under a pseudonym.

Li nuligis la renkontiĝon sub la preteksto, ke li malsanas.

He canceled the meeting on the pretext that he was ill.

With a neutral public name, sub la nomo remains possible: an organization may be registered or known under a particular name. With preteksto or kaŝnomo, concealment is part of the lexical meaning.

For an actual topic or heading printed above text, other relations may be clearer: artikolo pri energio, sekcio kun la titolo.... Sub la titolo X is appropriate when material appears beneath that heading in a document.

Measurements below a reference point

Sub can locate a value below a scale point:

Nokte la temperaturo falos al ses gradoj sub nulo.

At night the temperature will fall to six degrees below zero.

This is a scale metaphor grounded in lower position. For a general quantity smaller than a limit, neutral prose usually prefers malpli ol: malpli ol dek partoprenantoj, rather than treating sub dek as an all-purpose replacement. Specialized numerical usage of sub is attested, especially in concise labels, but malpli ol is internationally clearer.

Nearby alternatives

sub: vertically beneath, covered by, or under control;
sur: supported by or in significant contact with a surface;
en: inside a containing space or state;
malpli ol / malsupera al: lower in amount, value, or rank without a spatial construal;
laŭ: in accordance with a rule, not under its authority.

La dokumento estis preparita laŭ la regularo kaj konservata sub strikta alirkontrolo.

The document was prepared according to the regulations and kept under strict access control.

Laŭ marks conformity; sub marks the controlling condition.

Derived forms and compounds

Suba means located below or lower in an arrangement; sube means below. Ĉi-sube is common in documents for “below in this text.” Subigi means bring under control, while subiĝi means move beneath something.

La ĉi-suba tabelo montras la rezultojn; la fontnotoj aperas sube.

The table below shows the results; the source notes appear below.

Compounds such as subtera, subakva, subskribo, and subulo have conventional meanings. Their interpretation is not always simple geometry—subskribo is historically writing below a text and now means a signature—so established compounds should be learned as words rather than mechanically decoded.

Norm and register

The spatial and directional contrast is foundational: no -n for position or movement within the lower region; -n for entering that region. Covering and hierarchy are established extensions in all registers. Dense expressions such as sub la kondiĉo, ke... and sub la influo de... are especially frequent in (formal) and (academic) prose, but they are not archaic.

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Use the paraphrase test: en loko sub X gives plain sub X; al loko sub X gives sub X-n. For an abstract use, ask whether X genuinely controls, covers, or constrains the situation.

Common Mistakes

Adding -n to a static position

❌ La valizo estas sub la liton.

Incorrect — the suitcase is already in a position under the bed.

✅ La valizo estas sub la lito.

The suitcase is under the bed.

Omitting -n from a clear destination

❌ Mi metis la skatolon sub la tablo.

Incorrect for the intended placement — the box is moved into a position under the table.

✅ Mi metis la skatolon sub la tablon.

I put the box under the table.

Translating an English idiom word for word

❌ Mi sentas min sub la vetero hodiaŭ.

Incorrect literal translation of English “under the weather.”

✅ Mi ne fartas bone hodiaŭ.

I do not feel well today.

Replacing an established relation with je

❌ La arkivo restas je ŝtata kontrolo.

Incorrect — je does not express the established control relation here.

✅ La arkivo restas sub ŝtata kontrolo.

The archive remains under state control.

Key Takeaways

Sub expresses a lower aligned position, sometimes with contact or covering.
A plain complement marks position or motion within that area; directional -n marks entry into it.
Authority, control, pressure, and conditions extend the same “under the reach of” image.
Many English “under” idioms instead require a participle, en, or malpli ol.
Suba/sube, subigi/subiĝi, and established sub- compounds preserve different parts of the core relation.

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