Questions & Answers about Li metas la objekton sur la tablon.
Why does objekton end in -n?
The -n marks the direct object in Esperanto: the thing directly affected by the verb.
- Li metas = He puts
- la objekton = the object (the thing being put)
So objekton gets -n because it is what he is putting.
Why does tablon also end in -n? Is it also a direct object?
Not in the same way. In sur la tablon, the -n shows direction toward a place, not the main direct object.
This is a very important Esperanto pattern:
- sur la tablo = on the table (location, no movement)
- sur la tablon = onto the table (movement toward that place)
So in Li metas la objekton sur la tablon, the sentence shows movement onto the table, which is why tablon also has -n.
What is the difference between sur la tablo and sur la tablon?