Topic: Esperanto

"Do you have any kind of bowl?"

Translation:Ĉu vi havas ian bovlon?

August 14, 2015

6 Comments

https://www.duolingo.com/profile/meerness1

    Shouldn't "ia ajn" also be suitable here instead of "ian"?

    August 14, 2015
    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mizinamo
    Plus
    • 64

    "ian ajn" -- the "ajn" doesn't remove the need for an accusative ending. (And it doesn't itself have an accusative ending.)

    August 14, 2015
    https://www.duolingo.com/profile/meerness1

      Okay, I accept what you said about the accusative, but wouldn't "ian" mean "some kind" and "ian ajn" mean "any kind"?

      August 18, 2015
      https://www.duolingo.com/profile/danielqsc

        Well, if you say a similar sentence in affirmative, would it be "He has some kind of bowl" or "He has any kind of bowl"? I'm not a native English speaker, but the second sentence seems odd to me. Anyway, I know ia means "some" and can really mean "any" in interrogative sentences, but you need ajn when it means "...at all".

        July 2, 2017
        https://www.duolingo.com/profile/tommylinsley

          I'm no expert, but I would say that, yes, "ian ajn" should be an acceptable answer. I found some examples:

          • According to Lernu.net: any kind of = ia ajn

          • According to ESPDIC: ia ajn = any kind of; ajn = any kind of/whatsoever/arbitrary; sen ajna = without the least/without any kind of

          November 28, 2015
          https://www.duolingo.com/profile/StephenH0
          • 318

          "Ajn" mean "ever" or "at all". Like "kiu ajn" - "whoever", "ia ajn" - "any kind at all".

          May 30, 2016
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