"Are you a mother?"
Translation:Ĉu vi estas patrino?
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I tried using "ĉu vi patrino" and it correted it to "ĉu vi patrinas". How can mother be used as a verb and this sentence still keep the same meaning?
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- 1828
In Esperanto, the verb form of an adjective means "to be [adjective]" and the verb form of a noun means "to use as a [noun]". In English, we use a hammer to hammer a nail.
So "Cxu vi patrinas?" would mean "Do you mother" or "Are you mothering?" Do you do motherly things? Are you behaving in a motherly manner?
I'm not sure "patrinas" means quite the same thing as "estas patrino".
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Yes, the verb form of an adjective means "to be [adjective]".
But the verb form of a noun does not always mean "to use as a [noun]".
According to PIV, "partini" means "prizorgi, kiel patrino".
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Is there any difference between "Cu vi estas patrino" and "Cu estas vi patrino"? Could both be used in conversation? (I know that I haven't used accents, I need to find a way to input them on my keyboard)
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In general, the meaning is the same. But while forming questions in Esperanto, one usually tends to use the same word order as the regular sentence.
BTW, for writing the super-signojn, see the first link in this page.
I wish it helps.
What is the use of 'Ĉu' in this sentence? I don't really get the use of 'Ĉu' at all.
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The question word for 'place'-questions is 'where/kie'.
The question word for 'time'-questions is 'when/kiam'.
The question word for 'human-subject'-questions is 'who/kiu'.
The question word for 'yes/no'-questions is "ĉu".
In Esperanto, the word-order is not of a great importance as in English.
"Vi estas patrino" = "estas vi patrino" = "You're a mother"
"Ĉu vi estas patrino?" = "Ĉu estas vi patrino?" = "Are you a mother?"
I hope its clear now.
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It's the question word for yes/no questions.
- Kion vi faras? ─ What are you doing?
- Kiam vi venos? ─ When will you arrive?
- Kie estas li? ─ Where is he?
- Ĉu vi volas tion? ─ Do you want that?
- Ĉu li kuras? ─ Is he running?
- Ĉu mi estas bela? ─ Am I pretty?
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Is it really necessary, though? Could one simply say "Vi estas patrino?" and indicate that it's a question by some other means, like rising intonation?
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Yes, it is necessary. Raising your voice may imply to some people that you are asking a question, and you would probably be understood, but the correct way to form a question is always with a question word.
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- 1828
It's the interrogative particle. It comes from the Polish, "czy". It's used to turn a declarative statement into a question:
Vi vidas gxin. (You see it.)
Cxu vi vidas gxin? (Do you see it?)
It's also used to form a tag question:
Mi provas, cxu ne? (I'm right, aren't I?)
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- 1828
Google Translate is not reliable. In this case, either it is wrong or you are interpreting it wrong.
Ĉu is the interrogative particle. It comes from the Polish, "czy". It's used to turn a declarative statement into a question:
Vi vidas ĝin. (You see it.)
Ĉu vi vidas ĝin? (Do you see it?)
It's also used to form a tag question:
Mi provas, ĉu ne? (I'm right, aren't I?)
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- 1828
Because that's how you address your mother. It's not the general word for "mother".
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- 1828
No. "Esti/to be" is a stative verb, not an active verb. There is no action taking place, nothing being acted upon. "Patrino" here is not a direct object.
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- 1828
In Esperanto, the verb form of a noun means "to use as a [noun]". In English, we use a hammer to hammer a nail.
So "Cxu vi patrinas?" would mean "Do you mother" or "Are you mothering?" Do you do motherly things? Are you behaving in a motherly manner?
I'm not sure "patrinas" means quite the same thing as "estas patrino".
