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Questions & Answers about Kosto tre gravas por mi.
What is the grammatical structure of the sentence Kosto tre gravas por mi?
The sentence follows a subject–adverb–verb–prepositional phrase pattern. Kosto is the subject, tre is an adverb modifying the verb, gravas is the main verb meaning “to matter” or “to be important,” and por mi is a prepositional phrase indicating “for me.”
Why is there no linking verb such as estas before gravas?
In Esperanto, gravas is not a predicate adjective requiring a copula—it is a full verb that means “to be important” or “to matter.” This is similar to the English phrase “it matters” rather than “it is matters,” so no additional linking verb is needed.
What role does tre play in this sentence?
Tre is an adverb meaning “very.” It intensifies the importance expressed by gravas, emphasizing that cost is not just important but very important to the speaker.
What function does the prepositional phrase por mi serve in this sentence?
Por mi means “for me” and acts to specify who finds cost important. It clarifies that the importance of cost is from the speaker’s perspective or for the speaker’s benefit.
Is it possible to change the word order in Esperanto without altering the meaning?
Yes, Esperanto has a relatively flexible word order thanks to its clear grammatical markers. Although Kosto tre gravas por mi is straightforward and natural, rearrangements (such as placing por mi at the beginning for emphasis) are possible as long as the functions of each part remain unambiguous.
Why is the definite article la not used before kosto?
In Esperanto, the definite article la is used when referring to a specific or previously mentioned noun. In this sentence, kosto is presented in a general sense, so no definite article is needed.