Lection Quattor Lesson Four.
Pronouns
The verb endings (-o -as -a -amus -ais -an) show if the subject is in the first, second, or third person, but pronouns may be used with the verbs for emphasis or clarity in Latino Moderne.
Subject pronouns may be used for clarity, to show the gender of the subject or emphasis on the subject of the verb.
Object pronouns show who or what is receiving the action of the verbs.
Possessive pronouns show either ownership, origin, or relationship.
Indirect object pronouns show the object of the preposition, or the indirect object.
These will be covered in a future lesson.
Singular
Latino Eng.
io I
me me
mi/mie my/mine
tu thou
te thee
tu/tue thy/thine (your)
ille he
le him
su/sue his
illa she
la her
su/sue her/hers
illo it
lo it
su/sue its
Plural
nos we
nes us
nostre our/ours
vos ye
ves you
vostre your/yours
illes they
les them
lor/lore their/theirs
illas they
las them
lor/lore their/theirs
illos they
los them
lor/lore their/theirs
The second forms listed in the chart of the possessive pronouns (mie, tue, sue, lore, etc.) follow the thing possessed. They also may be made plural if they follow a plural substantive.
mi casa. la casa mie. my house
mi casas. le casas mies my houses
lor infante. le infante lore. their child
lor infantes. le infantes lores. their children
tu familia. la familia tue. your family
tu familias. le familias tues. your families
When the subject is identified in a subordinate clause the word mesme (himself, herself, itself) is used.
The reflexive pronoun (se) is used to refer the action of the verb back to the subject, [the same person or thing which is the subject is also the direct object of the verbal idea.]
se him/her/itself Illa vide se mesme. She sees herself.
Be careful to distinguish the reflexive pronoun (se) in use from the possessive pronoun su/sue his/her/its(showing possession).
Examples:
A.
1. Ille dice una parola proque (because) ille mesme audi le can.
He says a word because he himself hears the dog.
2. Le can audi se mesme. (or) Le can se audi.
The dog hears himself.
3. Petro se lava.
Peter washes himself.
B. (Observe the following usage)
1. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e ille mesme la ama.
John sees Peter with Mary and he himself loves her.
(John loves Mary.)
2. Johannes vide Petro con Maria, e ille la ama.
John sees Peter with Mary and he loves her
(Peter loves Mary.)
3. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e ille se mesme ama.
John sees Peter with Mary and he loves himelf.
(John loves himself.)
4. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e ille se ama.
John sees Peter with Mary and he loves himself.
(Peter loves himself.)
5. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e illa se ama.
John sees Peter with Mary and she loves herself.
(Mary loves herself.)
NOTE: Important Explanation
When se
is used alone, the action of the verb never goes beyond the subject of the clause, or to use the grammatical term, the verb in the clause in which it is found becomes reflexive. (see sentences number 4 & 5 above)
Mesme in a subordinate clause refers back to the subject of the main clause. (see sentences number 1 & 3 above)
Se mesme makes the verb reflexive (he himself, she herself, etc.) and refers back to the subject of the main clause. (see sentence number 3 above)
Se in a subordinate clause with an expressed subject pronoun (Ille se/illa se, etc.) or an expressed noun subject (Petro, Maria, etc.) without the word mesme makes the verb reflexive and refers to the subject of the of the subordinate clause. (see sentences number 4 & 5 above)
This may at first seem complicated, but mastery of this usage will distinguish the expert from the novice.
Study the above sentences until they make sense to you and you will have begun to think in Latino Moderne! Be patient with yourself while learning these expressions. When in doubt, it is always best to simply repeat the noun itself. Remember, the purpose of language is communication. Subtility in language is comendable in literature, but not when the house is on fire!
PRACTICA!
Translate the the following sentences:
1. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e ille mesme la ama.
2. Johannes vide Petro con Maria e ille la ama.
3. Maria ama se mesme.
4. Petro vide Johannes, e ille ama Maria.
5. Johannes vide Petro, e ille mesme ama Maria.
6. Johannes vide Maria, e ama se mesme.
The present tense verbs with their corresponding subject pronouns are as follows, using amar (to love) as the pattern verb.
Singular Plural
io amo I love , nos amamus we love
tu amas you love, vos amais you love
ille ama he loves , illes aman they love
illa ama she loves, illas aman they love
illo ama it loves, illos aman they love
It should be noted that amo and io amo both mean I love. The pronoun provides emphasis and clarity.
In the third person plural the pronouns show the gender of the subject (illes, illas, illos), something we cannot do in English. We just say they without distinguishing gender.
Read aloud the following sentences:
1. io amo le patre, e ille me ama. I love the father, and he loves me.
2. Illa les trova in mi casa. She finds them in my house.
3. Nos desiramus ves audir. We desire to hear you.
4. Su catto non ama su can. His cat does not love his dog.
5. Illes venian con lor matres. They are coming with their mothers.
6. Quando ille dice, Te amo, ne le crede. When he says, I love you, don't believe him.
7. Illa le audi e ille la trova. She hears him and he finds her.
8. Esque nes audias? Do you hear us?
9. Illes trovan la casa tue e nostre can. They find your house and our dog.
10. Vostre amica ama su familia. Your friend loves his family.
11. Ille las audi ma illes le trovan. He hears them but they find him.
12. Ille se audi e dice tu parolas. He hears himself and says your words.
The Subject pronouns always preceed their verbs when so used, except in questions.
1. Ille dice tu parolas. means He says your words. or, Dice le parolas tues?
2. Dice ille tu parolas? means Does he say your words? or, Dice le parolas tues?
3. Tu dices parolas. means You say words. or, Dices parolas.
4. Dices tu parolas? means Are you saying words? or, Dices parolas?
Note the personal endings on the verbs in #2 and 4.
Questions for thought
1. How would you ask clearly , Are you[singular] saying your [singular] words?
2. How would esque help in asking the above questions?
A. Statement of fact: Ille dice tu parolas. or Dice le parolas tues.
He says your words.
B. Question: Esque ille dice tu parolas? or Dice le parolas tues?
Does he say your words?
A. Statement of fact: Tu dices parolas. Dices parolas.
You say words.
B. Question: Esque tu dices parolas? Dices parolas?
Are you saying words?
NOTE: Generally, when the normal word order of Subject-Verb-Direct Object is modified, the words thrown forward in the sentence are being emphasized.
Thus, one could say I love you in a variety of ways in Latino Moderne.
io te amo. Amo te. Te io amo. io amo te. Te amo.
All of the above mean I love you. There are subtil differences because of the word order but essentially they mean exactly the same thing. Note that the subject pronoun when used always precedes the verb, never follows it, except in questions.
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