Breakdown of Instalu la enkursigilon, kondiĉe ke la elektringo funkcias.
la
the
ke
that
funkcii
to work
kondiĉo
the condition; requirement
Questions & Answers about Instalu la enkursigilon, kondiĉe ke la elektringo funkcias.
Why is instalu used instead of instalas?
Because instalu uses the -u ending, which marks a command, request, instruction, or exhortation in Esperanto.
- instalu = install / please install
- instalas = installs / is installing
So in this sentence, instalu is the correct form because the speaker is telling someone to do something.
Who is the subject of instalu if there is no pronoun?
In Esperanto, commands often leave the subject unspoken, just like English does in Install the router.
The understood subject is you. That could mean:
- one person
- more than one person
- a polite you
If you wanted to state it explicitly, you could say Vi instalu la enkursigilon, but usually that is unnecessary.
Why does enkursigilon end in -n?
The -n marks the direct object.
Here, the thing being installed is la enkursigilo, so it becomes la enkursigilon.
A very literal breakdown is:
- instalu = perform the action of installing
- la enkursigilon = the thing receiving that action
This is one of the most important uses of in Esperanto.