per
By Means of
Per means with a tool or by a means.
How It Works
| Kind | Example |
|---|---|
| tool | skribi per plumo (write with a pen) |
| vehicle | vojaĝi per trajno (travel by train) |
| way of paying | pagi per karto (pay by card) |
| means of talking | paroli per telefono (talk by phone) |
Per names what you use to do something. That can be a tool, a vehicle, a card or a phone. A part of the body can be a tool too: Ni vidas per la okuloj (we see with our eyes).
English says with for both company and tools. Esperanto splits them: kun is company, as in kun mia amiko, and per is the tool, as in per plumo.
The noun after per keeps its plain form.
Examples (5)
- Mi skribas per plumo.
I write with a pen.
Per names the tool.
- Ni veturas per trajno al Pollando.
We are traveling to Poland by train.
Per names the vehicle.
- Ŝi pagas per karto.
She pays by card.
Per names the way of paying.
- Ewa parolas kun Kenji per telefono.
Ewa talks with Kenji by phone.
Kun names the company and per names the means.
- Mi manĝas per forko.
I eat with a fork.
A fork is a tool, so it takes per.
Common Mistakes
Using kun for a tool.
Mi skribas kun plumo.Mi skribas per plumo.Kun means in company with something. A pen is the tool you use, so the word is per.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Per is easy to mix up with kun.
Related Patterns
Practice per in Bubblegum
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