Ŝi uzas filtrilon por la portreto.

the

Breakdown of Ŝi uzas filtrilon por la portreto.

• por: for
• uzi: to use
• ŝi: she

Questions & Answers about Ŝi uzas filtrilon por la portreto.

Why does filtrilon end in -n?

Because filtrilon is the direct object of the verb uzas.

In Esperanto, the thing directly affected by the action usually gets the -n ending, called the accusative.

• Ŝi uzas filtrilon. = She uses a filter.
• filtrilo = a filter
• filtrilon = a filter as the direct object

So the sentence shows that the thing being used is the filter.

Why doesn’t portreto also have an -n ending?

Because portreto comes after the preposition por.

After a preposition like por, nouns normally do not take -n just for being after that preposition.

So:

• por la portreto = for the portrait

The direct object is still only filtrilon, not portreto.

What does por mean here?