Questions & Answers about Mi faras tion, kio estas necesa.
Why is it tion and not just tio?
Because tion is the direct object of faras.
In Esperanto, direct objects take the -n ending. So:
- tio = that, that thing
- tion = that, that thing as the object
Here, Mi faras tion means I do that or I do that thing, so tion needs -n.
Why do we have both tion and kio in the same sentence?
They do different jobs.
- tion points to something: that
- kio introduces and identifies what that thing is: what
So the structure is roughly:
- Mi faras tion = I do that
- kio estas necesa = which is necessary / what is necessary
Together, the sentence means something like: I do that which is necessary.
This pattern is common in Esperanto: a pointing word such as tio is followed by a ki- word that explains it.
Why is it kio and not kiu?