-ato, -ito, -oto

The One It Is Done to

Level 5

The passive noun forms name the person who receives the action.

How It Works

FormThe person whoExample
-atois being treated that wayakuzato (the person being accused)
-itohas been treated that wayelektito (the chosen one)
-otowill be treated that wayjuĝoto (the person who is going to be judged)

When Ana invites Omar, Ana is the invitanto and Omar is the invitato. Once he has been invited, he is an invitito. The vowel before the t gives the time, as in the adjectives: a for now, i for finished, o for still to come.

As with the active nouns, these words normally name persons. They take the usual noun endings: la elektito, la invititoj, la akuzaton. Some have become everyday nouns, such as akuzito, the person accused in a trial.

Examples (5)

  1. La elektito de la klubo estas Giorgio.

    The person chosen by the club is Giorgio.

    Elektito is a person who has been chosen.

  2. La invititoj venas al la festo je la sesa horo.

    The invited people come to the party at six o'clock.

    Invititoj are people who have been invited, and the plural has -j.

  3. La akuzato diras, ke li ne estis tie.

    The person being accused says that he was not there.

    Akuzato is a person who is being accused.

  4. La juĝoto atendas ekster la ĉambro.

    The person who is going to be judged waits outside the room.

    Juĝoto is a person who will be judged.

  5. Pavel amas Ewan, sed ŝi ne scias, ke ŝi estas lia amato.

    Pavel loves Ewa, but she does not know that she is his beloved.

    Amato is the person who is loved.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the active form for the person acted on.

    La akuzanto diras, ke li ne estis tie.
    La akuzato diras, ke li ne estis tie.

    Akuzanto is the person who accuses. The person who is accused is the akuzato, with -at-.

How It Connects

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

-ato, -ito, -otoLevel 5The One It Is Done to

Learn This First

Participle nouns also name the one the action is done to.