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Questions & Answers about Mi amas tiun amikon.
What does tiun mean, and why is it used instead of tiu in this sentence?
Tiun is the accusative form of the demonstrative adjective tiu, meaning “that.” In Esperanto, when a noun is the direct object of a verb, it takes the accusative ending (‑n). Since amiko (“friend”) is the object of the verb amas (“love”), its modifier must also be in the accusative, resulting in tiun.
Why does amiko appear as amikon in the sentence?
In Esperanto the direct object is marked with the suffix ‑n. Here, amiko becomes amikon to indicate that it is receiving the action of the verb amas. This system of marking the accusative helps clarify which part of the sentence is the object.
How does the accusative ending affect words that modify a noun in Esperanto?
In Esperanto, any word that directly modifies a noun—such as adjectives or demonstrative adjectives—must agree with that noun in case. Since amiko is in the accusative (amikon), the demonstrative tiu must also take the accusative ending, becoming tiun. This agreement maintains consistency and clarity in the sentence.
Could the sentence be rearranged without the accusative endings and still be understood?
Not reliably. While Esperanto typically follows a subject-verb-object order, the accusative endings (‑n) clearly mark the direct object regardless of word order. Omitting them or failing to match them on modifiers could lead to ambiguity if the sentence order were changed.
Is the use of the accusative ending in this sentence solely for indicating the object, or does it serve another purpose?
Its primary function is to unambiguously mark the direct object of a sentence. This clear case marking allows for flexibility in word order without creating confusion over which word is the object. In Mi amas tiun amikon, the accusative endings on both tiun and amikon definitively show that they form the object of amas.