Breakdown of Kiam mi pagos, mi uzos la telefonon por kontroli la koston.
mi
I
kiam
when
por
to
pagi
to pay
uzi
to use
telefono
the phone
kontroli
to check
kosto
the cost
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Esperanto grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Kiam mi pagos, mi uzos la telefonon por kontroli la koston.
What does kiam mean in this sentence?
Kiam translates to "when" and introduces a subordinate time clause that establishes the condition under which the main clause takes place.
Why do the verbs pagos and uzos end with -os?
In Esperanto, the -os ending denotes the future tense. Thus, pagos means "will pay" and uzos means "will use," indicating that these actions will occur in the future.
Why do both telefonon and koston end with -on even though there is no indication of movement?
The -n ending in Esperanto marks the direct object of a verb regardless of any notion of movement. Here, telefonon is the direct object of uzos and koston is the direct object of the infinitive kontroli.
What function does the phrase por kontroli la koston serve in the sentence?
The phrase por kontroli la koston explains the purpose of using the phone. The preposition por means "in order to," so it tells us that the phone is used to check the cost.
Is it necessary to repeat the subject mi in both clauses?
Yes, including mi in both clauses makes it clear who is performing the actions. In Esperanto, repeating the subject can help prevent ambiguity, even if context might sometimes allow for it.
Can the order of the clauses in this sentence be rearranged without changing the meaning?
Absolutely. Esperanto allows for flexible word order. For example, one could say "Mi uzos la telefonon por kontroli la koston kiam mi pagos" without altering the overall meaning, though placing the time clause at the beginning emphasizes the condition.
Why is the verb kontroli used in its infinitive form after por?
After the preposition por (meaning "in order to"), Esperanto requires the verb to be in its infinitive form. This construction succinctly expresses the purpose of the action described in the main clause.