Lection Sex Lesson Six
Prepositions: Prepositions are words which show the relation of one thing to another.
Some of the prepositions in Latino are the same or very similar to their English counterparts. You've already learned several of them in previous lessons. Some of them are new, but they are easy to learn with practice. Prepositions are used before the word they modify (as in English). Substantives do not take any special form when used with a preposition. Pronouns with prepositions will use their object of the preposition form (see below).
Here are some of the common prepositions in LM (Some of which you have already met in previous lessons):
Latino English
a, ad/ to
ab/ from
ante/ before
apud/ by, along side
circa/ around, about
detra/ behind
con/ with
contra/ against
de/ of, from
ex/ from, out of
extra/ outside, besides
trans / across, beyond
foras, foris/ beyond
in/ in, into
ina (in+a)/ into
infra/ below
intra/ inside
juxta/ next to, by
per/ by means of, through
post/ after, behind
pro/ for, in order to
sin/ without, lacking
re/ regarding, concerning
sub/ under
super, supra/ above, over
sur/ upon, on
de + the article le combines to form del.
a +le forms al.
NOTE: The feminine form of the definite article la is with de or, a written as two words de la, and, a la. Only le combines with de and a into del and al.
NOTE: The vowel of both the masculine (le) and feminine (la) form of the definite article may be replaced with an apostrophy (l') when used before a word which begins with a vowel.(see numbers 1 & 14 below.)
Pratice saying aloud the following sentences
Examples:
1. Le viro diceva que extra l' Ecclesia le salvation non es possibile.
The man said that outside the Church salvation is not possible.
2. Venivamus ex le citate con le amicos nostres trans le campo juxta le domo ina la boteca de floras.
We came out of the city with our friends across the field by the house into the flower shop.
3. Le libros son sub la tabula.
The books are under the table.
4. Le viro se sedeva sur le sede.
The man sat on the chair.
5. La catta Molly se sede in le sede que es post la casa.
Molly the cat sits in the chair which is behind the house.
6. Le veritate es intra le libro.
The truth is inside the book.
7. Le mus curreva ab le catto sub la casa.
The mouse ran from the cat under the house.
8. Le mus non curreva rapidemente foras le catto.
The mouse didn't run quickly beyond the cat.
9. Le mus era in la casa, ma nunc, infortunamente pro le mus, illo es in le catto.
The mouse was in the house, but now, unfortunately for the mouse, it's in the cat.
10. Le can juxta la casa videva la catta que es sub le sede.
The dog next to the house saw the cat which is under the chair.
11. Le can e la catta currevan circa le sede ante la porta.
The dog and cat ran around the chair in front of the door
12. Veni intra la casa, e compra le vino e le pan sin pecunia.
Come inside the house, and buy the wine and bread without money.
13. Hamus salvation per la gratia del Domino nostre .
We have salvation through the grace of our Lord.
14. Vostre patres venivan trans le mar in un nave de l'Anglaterra.
Your fathers came across the sea in a ship from England.
15. Le rege es sur le throno sue in le castello e le princes son ante ille.
The king is upon his throne in the castle the princes are before him.
Note the difference between the next two sentences
16. Le homine ambulava ina le domo.
The man walked into the house. (He entered it.)
17. Le homine ambulava in le domo.
The man walked in the house. (He was walking around inside it.)
Pronouns with prepositions
Some of the pronouns may use either the object form or, for clarity, a special form when used with prepositions. Without a preposition the special forms have the idea of to or for when they are used.
Tibi= to/for you.
Mihi= to/for me.
The forms, used with con with are as follows:
singular plural
1st con me/con mihi with me, // con nobis with us
2nd con te/con tibi with thee (you), // con vobis with you
3rd(m) con ille/con illi with him, // con illes/con illis with them
3rd(f) con illa/con illi with her, // con illas/con illis with them
3rd(n) con illo/con illi with it, // con illos/con illis with them
Reflexive con se/con sei(sibi) with himself, herself, itself, themselves, etc.
Examples:
1. La senioretta vadeva con mihi e con vobis.
The young lady came with me and with you.
2. Le veritate es in tibi.
The truth is in you.
3. Le puero donava le libro nobis.
The boy gave the book to us.
4. Le can curreva ab ille.
The dog ran from him.
5. Le catto ambulava ab ille a illa.
The cat walked from him to her.
6. La catta Misha sedeva in la fenestra e videva la bella senioretta con tibi.
Misha the cat sat in the window and saw the beautiful young lady with you.
7. Facevas lo pro illas.
You made it for them.
8. Ille non diceva le veritate proque illo non es in ille.
He did not speak the truth because it is not in him.
9. Per illos *poteo vider te.
By means of those things I am able to see you.
*NOTE: For the word poter, to be able in the first person singular present tense, the irregular form poteo I am able is to be prefered instead of the more regular form poto, though both are acceptable and have the exact same meaning.
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You're now ready to begin using a dictionary and creating your own sentences and conversations. One of the best to use for English to LM translation is the Concise English-Interlingua Dictionary by P. Gopsill and B.C. Sexton. Remember though, the sentences given in it as examples are in Interlingua and will not always be in correct Latino Moderne grammar.
