Lesson 22 - Duadek-e-duesma Leciono How to Translate THAT
If"that" joins two sentences, use "ke":
I see that you are here. - Me vidas ke vu esas hike.
If"that" means "who", "whom", "which", use "qua" as subject, "quan" as object (ifbefore the verb):
The cat that was here. - La kato qua esis hike.
The dog that you saw. - La hundo quan vu vidis.
If it means "that" person, use "ita", "ta":
That man is too old. - Ita/ta viro esas tro olda.
If it menas "that" thing, use "ito","to":
That is no use. - Ito/to ne utilesas.
If it means "that" kind of, use "tala":
That person! Well, I never! - Tala persono! Ne-kredebla!
If it means "in order that", use "por ke" (with imperative):
I tell you now that you will be prepared. - Me dicas olu a vu nun por ke vu esez preparita/pronta.
THAT Should Never Be Omitted
"That" is very often omitted in English, but should never be omitted in Ido:
The book (that) I gave you - La libro quan me donis a vu.
I think (that) he will come. - Me opinionas ke ilu venos.
"That" is generally omitted in English after verbs like "to think", "to hope", "to wish", "to believe". It is critically important to pay attention to this rule, as the correct use of the word "ke" is the key to a good international style for English-speaking students.
Other Words Omitted
All other words omitted in English have to be inserted in Ido:
It was he mentioned the fact (= he who mentioned). - Esas ilu' ta qua mencionis la fakto.
He knew the man we were speaking of (=of whom we...). - Ilu konocis la viro pri qua ni parolis.
Do what he will (=let him do...), he cannot... - Ilu facez quon ilu volas, ilu ne povas...
If a man was great while living (=while he was living),... - Se homo esis famoza dum ke ilu vivis,...
He gave the boy eight pennies (= eight pennies to the boy). - Ilu donis ok centimi a la puero.
Show me it (=show it to me). - Montrez olu a me.
Whose, of Which
"Whose" and "of which" are translated "di qua/qui" or sometimes "qua'ns/qui'ns":
The boy "whose" book I saw (= the boy of whom I saw the book).
La puero di qua me vidis la libro.
La puero qua'ns libron me vidis.
The sword which Hector gave Ajax was that on "whose" point Ajax fell.
La glavo quan Hektor donis ad Ajax, esis ta sur la pinto di qua Ajax falis.
La glavo quan Hektor donis ad Ajax, esis ta sur qua'ns pinto Ajax falis.
The books, the binding "of which" you like. La libri di qui vu prizis la binduro. La libri qui'ns binduron vu prizis.
Infinitive Clause
The infinitive clause is another important case in which "that" ("ke") as a conjunction should be used. It is possible to translate such clauses like this:
I want you to come. - Me volas vu venar.
He ordered them to go away. - Ilu imperis li de-irar.
But it is preferable to translate infinitive clauses by using "ke" like this:
I want you to come. - Me volas ke vu venez.
He ordered them to go away. - Ilu imperis ke li de-irez.
Such phrases occur most frequently with verbs of "command" and "desire".
Imperative Clause
The subject of an imperative clause can be omitted only when it is "vu" or "tu".
Come here as soon as (it is) possible.
Tu venez ad'hike tam balde kam (lo esez) posibla. ->
Venez ad'hike tam balde kam posibla.
If the command is directed to someone (or something) other than "you", the subject cannot be omitted:
Spring come to Europe as soon as possible! (Said in winter...) - Printempo venez ad'en Europa tam balde kam posibla! (Dicita en vintro.)
Comparative
She is beautiful. - Elu esas bela.
She is as beautiful as her sister. - Elu esas tam bela kam sua fratino.
She is more beautiful than her sister. - Elu esas plu bela kam sua fratino.
She is less beautiful than her sister. - Elu esas min bela kam sua fratino.
She is no less beautiful than her sister. She is as beautiful as her sister. - Elu ne esas min bela kam sua fratino.
She is no more beautiful than her sister. Both of them are ugly. - Elu ne esas plu bela kam sua fratino. L'amba esas leda.
No one is more beautiful than her sister. - Nulu esas plu bela kam elua fratino.
No one is as beautiful as her sister. - Nulu esas tam bela kam elua fratino.
Her sister is the most beautiful woman of all. - Elua fratino esas la maxim bela muliero del omni.
She has no less than (=as much as) 50 dollars. - Elu havas ne'min kam kinadek dolari. = Elu havas tam multa kam kinadek dolari.
She has not less than (=at least) 50 dollars. = Elu ne havas min kam kinadek dolari. = Elu havas ad'minime kinadek dolari.
She has no more than (=only, just, exactly) 50 dollars. = Elu havas ne'plu kam kinadek dolari. = Elu havas nur/precize kindadek dolari.
She has not more than (=at most) 50 dollars. = Elu ne havas plu kam kinadek dolari. = Elu havas ad'maxime kinadek dolari.
How to Get Dad and Mom from Father and Mother
For a more familiar form of "mother" and "father", use the suffixes "ch" and "ny":
Father : Patro -> Dad : Pacho
Mother : Matro -> Mom : Manyo
In English we make Anthony into Tony, and Katharine into Kate or Kitty. In Ido we can get similar names by putting -ch- for a male, or -ny- for a female, after one of the first few letters of the full name. Thus, from Michael we form Micho; and from Katherine we make Katanyo or Kanyo.
Why You Need "di" Between Noun and Infinitive
Phrases like "power of comprehension" (or "lack of understanding") are understood in Ido in the form "power to comprehend" (or "inability to understand"), using an infinitive after a noun.
Without the "of" between the noun and infinitive, you would say:
One must by one's own power of comprehension deal with the matter.
= One must by one's own power to comprehend to deal with the matter. (This is awkward English, but suits the purpose here.) Lu mustas per sua esforco komprenar traktar l'afero.
(In Ido, "lu" means "he, she, or it", typically replaced with "one" in English. The Ido indefinite pronoun "on" for the English "one" could work here, but "on" has more of a broader societal or indefinite group sense of "they, we, people", etc. than we would like for these examples.)
One must, by one's own power, to comprehend to deal with the matter.
Lu mustas, per sua esforco, komprenar traktar l'afero.
One must, by one's own power to comprehend, to deal with the matter.
Lu mustas, per sua esforco komprenar, traktar l'afero.
Inserting "di" between the noun and its following infinitive clarifies the intended meaning:
One must by one's own power of comprehension, deal with the matter.
Lu mustas, per sua esforco di komprenar, traktar l'afero.
One must, by one's own power of comprehension, deal with the matter.
Lu mustas, per sua esforco, komprenar (quale) traktar l'afero.
Lesson 23 - Duadek-e-triesma Leciono How to Translate WHAT
If"what" means "that which", use "to quo" or "to quon", according to sense:
What is here is good. (=That which is here is good.)
To quo esas hike, esas bona.
(In this sentence "which" is the subject of"is".)
What you say is right. (=That which you say is right.)
To quon vu dicas, esas justa.