nur

Only

Level 2

Put nur in front of the word it limits.

How It Works

SentenceMeaning
Mi havas nur du katojn.I have only two cats, not more.
Nur mi havas du katojn.I am the only one who has two cats.
Kofi alvenis nur hieraŭ.Kofi arrived only yesterday, not before.

Most often nur means no more than: Mi havas nur unu fraton. Before a time word it means not earlier than: Kofi alvenis nur hieraŭ.

Because nur limits the word right after it, put it right in front of the word you want to limit. If you move it, you limit a different word.

Nur can also say that nobody or nothing else takes part: Esperanto estas nur lingvo means that it is a language and nothing else.

Examples (5)

  1. Mi havas nur du katojn.

    I have only two cats.

    Nur limits the number du.

  2. Nur Ana scias la respondon.

    Only Ana knows the answer.

    Nur limits Ana, so nobody else knows.

  3. Kofi alvenis nur hieraŭ.

    Kofi arrived only yesterday.

    Before a time word, nur means not earlier than.

  4. Ĉu vi havas nur unu fraton?

    Do you have only one brother?

    Nur limits unu in a ĉu question too.

  5. Ni havas nur unu horon.

    We have only one hour.

    Nur limits the amount of time.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting nur before the wrong word, so the sentence says something else.

    Nur mi havas du katojn.
    Mi havas nur du katojn.

    This is correct Esperanto, but nur mi says that I am the only one who has two cats. To limit the number, put nur before du.

How It Connects

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

nurLevel 2Only

Learn This First

Nur sits right before the word it limits, like ankaŭ.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.