Naming and Painting the Object

Level 5

Add a plain word after the object to say what it becomes or what it is called.

How It Works

VerbExampleThe plain word tells
nomiNi nomis la katon Luisa.the name
elektiIli elektis lin prezidanto.the new role
farbiAna farbis la ruĝan domon verda.the new color
troviMi trovas ĝin interesa.an opinion

The word after the object is not a second object, so it takes no -n. It may be a noun (prezidanto), an adjective (verda) or a name (Luisa).

Compare Ni farbis la muron blanka with Ni farbis la blankan muron. In the first, the wall becomes white. In the second, blankan belongs to the wall and says what it was like before.

A test: replace the object with ĝin. A plain word stays: Ni farbis ĝin blanka. A word with -n disappears into the pronoun, because it was part of the object.

Examples (5)

  1. Ni nomis la katon Luisa.

    We named the cat Luisa.

    Luisa says what the cat is called, so it has no -n.

  2. Ni farbis la muron blanka.

    We painted the wall white.

    Blanka says what the wall becomes.

  3. La anoj elektis Marian prezidanto.

    The members chose Maria as president.

    Prezidanto says what Maria becomes, and it has no -n.

  4. Mi trovas la lingvon tre interesa.

    I find the language very interesting.

    Interesa gives an opinion about the object.

  5. Ana farbis la ruĝan domon verda.

    Ana painted the red house green.

    Ruĝan describes the house before; verda says what it becomes.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting -n on the name given to the object.

    Ni nomis la katon Luisan.
    Ni nomis la katon Luisa.

    Luisa is not a second object. It says what the cat is called, so it takes no -n.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Naming and Painting the ObjectLevel 5

Learn This First

A word that names the object stays plain.