Breakdown of Niaj lerniloj enhavas bluajn diagramojn kaj flavajn tekstojn.
kaj
and
enhavi
to contain
nia
our
blua
blue
diagramo
the diagram
flava
yellow
teksto
the text
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Questions & Answers about Niaj lerniloj enhavas bluajn diagramojn kaj flavajn tekstojn.
Why do the adjectives bluajn and flavajn have an extra -n at the end compared to their base forms blua and flava?
In Esperanto, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in both number and case. Since diagramojn and tekstojn are direct objects marked with the accusative ending -n, the adjectives describing them also take the -n to match the case.
Why are the nouns diagramojn and tekstojn written with an -n ending?
The -n ending signals the accusative case in Esperanto. Direct objects of the verb—in this case, what is being contained by the subject—must receive the accusative ending. Thus, both diagramojn and tekstojn carry -n to show that they are the objects of enhavas.
Why doesn't the subject niaj lerniloj have an -n ending like the objects?
Only direct objects (and certain other phrases like indications of direction) require the accusative -n in Esperanto. The subject of the sentence remains in the nominative case, so niaj lerniloj is not marked with -n.
What is the role of the word enhavas in this sentence?
Enhavas is the present tense, third-person singular form of the verb enhavi, meaning to contain. It functions as the main verb of the sentence, linking the subject (niaj lerniloj) with the direct objects (bluajn diagramojn kaj flavajn tekstojn).
How does the placement of adjectives before nouns in this sentence compare to English?
Like English, Esperanto typically places adjectives before the noun they describe. In our sentence, bluajn comes before diagramojn and flavajn comes before tekstojn. This arrangement is standard; however, thanks to Esperanto's clear case markings, adjectives could be placed after the noun if desired, without changing their endings.
Is the word order in Esperanto strict? Why is the sentence arranged as it is?
Esperanto features a flexible word order because its inflections (like the -n ending) clearly mark each word’s grammatical role. Although the standard order is subject–verb–object (SVO)—as seen in the sentence—words can be rearranged for emphasis or style while remaining understandable.
Can adjectives be placed after the noun in Esperanto, and do they still follow the same agreement rules?
Yes, adjectives can be positioned after the noun for stylistic or emphatic reasons, but they must still agree with the noun in number and case. Even when placed after the noun, if the noun is in the accusative plural (ending in -ojn), the adjective will also include the accusative -n (as in bluajn or flavajn).