113. Superlatives (_Superlativoj_).

(_a_). The superlative of superiority is la plej = _the most_.

(_b_). The superlative of inferiority is la malplej = _the least_.

The preposition el = _out of_, _of_, is used with the superlative when it relates to numbers, or something collective, as a "group,"

"society," etc. But when the superlative relates to the place or position where the superiority is or was, then some other appropriate preposition is used.

Examples.--_Johano estas la plej forta el la knaboj_ = John is the strongest of the boys. _Petro estis la plej malforta el ciuj_ = Peter was the weakest of (out of) all. _Georgo estas la malplej kuraga knabo en la domo_ = George is the least courageous boy in the house. _Si estis la plej bela virino, kiun mi iam vidis_ = She was the most beautiful woman whom I ever saw. _Tiuj ci estas la plej grandaj arboj en la arbaro_ = These are the largest trees in the wood. _Li estis la plej bona Esperantisto el la grupo_ (_klubo_, _societo_) = He was the best Esperantist of the group (club, society). _Metu la plej grandajn glasojn sur la tablon_ = Put the largest gla.s.ses upon the table. _Ne jetu la plej grandajn stonojn en la puton, sed la plej malgrandajn_ (_malplej grandajn_) = Do not throw the largest stones into the well, but the smallest (the least large).

(_c_). The superlative absolute is indicated by tre = _very_, or treege = _exceedingly_, or troe = _excessively_, or some other suitable adverb.

Example.--_Tiu virino estas tre malbela kaj treege grasa_ = That woman is very ugly and exceedingly fat.

114. Degrees of intensity of adjectives can also be shown by the aid of the suffixes _-EG-_ and _-ET-_ with or without an adverb. The suffix _-EG-_ is stronger in its application than the adverb tre = _very_. For instance, take the adjective bela = _beautiful_, or _fine_. Tre bela = _very beautiful_, or _very fine_; but belega = _magnificent_, or _superb_. So, the diminutive _-ET-_ shows more diminution than the adjective malgranda = _small_, or _little_, would show when qualifying a noun. For instance, malgranda rivero = _a small river_, but rivereto = _a brook_, or _stream_. The following list shows how twelve adjectives of varying shades of intensity can be formed from the root varm-, between the extremes tre varmega = _broiling hot_ and tre malvarmega = _intensely cold_, supposing we were speaking of the weather:--

Tre varmega = _Broiling hot_. Tre malvarmega = _Intensely cold_.

Varmega = _Hot_. Malvarmega = _Bitterly cold_.

Tre varma = _Very warm_. Tre malvarma = _Very cold_.

Varma = _Warm_. Malvarma = _Cold_.

Iom varma = _Warmish_. Iom malvarma = _Coldish_.

Varmeta = _Mild_. Malvarmeta = _Cool_.

See remarks on the suffixes _-EG-_ and _-ET-_, par. 277.

NUMERALS.

Cardinal Numbers (_Numeraloj fundamentaj_).

115. The cardinal numbers are:--

(1) unu, (2) du, (3) tri, (4) kvar, (5) kvin, (6) ses, (7) sep, (8) ok, (9) nau, (10) dek, (100) cent, (1,000) mil, (0) (zero, naught) = nulo.

Miliono (million) is a noun, the root being milion-.

(_a_). The numbers 11 to 19 are formed by simply placing (10) dek before the first nine, as:--(11) dek unu, (12) dek du, (13) dek tri, (14) dek kvar, (15) dek kvin, (16) dek ses, (17) dek sep, (18) dek ok, (19) dek nau.

(_b_). The numbers (101 to 119), or (1,001 to 1,019), are formed by the addition cent, or mil, as:--(101) cent unu, (102) cent du, (110) cent dek, (116) cent dek ses, (1,001) mil unu, (1,006) mil ses, (1,114) mil cent dek kvar.

(_c_). The tens, hundreds, and thousands are formed by prefixing one of the numbers 2 to 9 before dek, cent, or mil, as:--(20) dudek, (30) tridek, (40) kvardek, (200) ducent, (500) kvincent, (900) naucent, (2,000) dumil, (4,000) kvarmil, (8,000) okmil.

(_d_). The intermediate numbers (21 to 29), (31 to 39), etc., are formed by adding the required number to the tens, as:--(21) dudek unu, (22) dudek du, (33) tridek tri, (96) naudek ses, (121) cent dudek unu, (342) tricent kvardek du, (1,021) mil dudek unu, (8,754) okmil sepcent kvindek kvar.

(_e_). The cardinal numbers never change their forms for case or number.

Examples.--_La du infanoj dividis inter si sep pomojn_ = The two children divided between themselves seven apples. _Unu prenis tri kaj la alia prenis kvar el la pomoj_ = One took three and the other took four of the apples. _Kvin kaj sep faras_ (or, _estas_) _dek du_ = 5 and 7 make (are) 12.

(_f_). Unu is sometimes used in the plural, and unuj then means _some_. It is used generally in relation with aliaj = _others_.

Examples.--_El siaj multaj infanoj, unuj estas bonaj kaj aliaj malbonaj_ = Among (out of) her many children, some are good and others bad. _Li ekzamenis la pomojn, kaj trovis unujn bonaj kaj aliajn malbonaj_ = He examined the apples, and found some good and others bad. Note that _bonaj_ and _malbonaj_ are predicative adjectives, and therefore in the nominative (see pars. 36, 108 (_b_)).

(_g_). Unu is sometimes used when our indefinite article is employed as a numeral.[14]

Example.--_Car ciu el ni havas unu vortaron, prenu vian kaj lasu mian_ = Since we have each _a_ dictionary, take yours and leave mine.

Footnote:

[14] This use of _unu_ is not recommended.

Ordinal Numbers (_Numeraloj ordaj_).

116. Ordinal numbers, being really adjectives, are, in Esperanto, made such in the usual way by adding _A_ to the cardinals, as:--unua = _first_, dua = _second_, tria = _third_, kvara = _fourth_, kvina = _fifth_, sesa = _sixth_, sepa = _seventh_, oka = _eighth_, naua = _ninth_, deka = _tenth_.

(_a_). If the cardinal is composed of two or more numbers, _A_ is added to the last only, as:--dek-unua = _eleventh_, dek-dua = _twelfth_, dek-naua = _nineteenth_, dudeka = _twentieth_, dudek-unua = _twenty-first_, cent-tridek-naua = _hundred and thirty-ninth_.

N.B.--Note that the ordinal numbers are linked by hyphens.

(_b_). The Ordinals follow all the rules of adjectives as to case and number.

Examples.--_Donu al li la trian, kaj prenu la kvaran_ = Give him the third, and take the fourth. _La kvinaj etagoj de tiuj domoj estas tre altaj_ = The fifth stories of those houses are very high.

(_c_). The Ordinals are usually used in speaking of pages, hours, days, months, years, kings, etc.

Examples.--_Pago trideka_ = Page thirty. _Vidu pagon kvardekan_ (or, 40an) = See page forty (40). _Henriko kvara_ = Henry IV. _La dek-unua horo_ = 11 o'clock. _En la dek-sesa_ (_tago_) _de Aprilo_ = On the 16th of April. _En la jaro mil-okcent-naudek-naua_ = In 1899. _Mil-naucent-kvara_ = 1904.

In asking questions about the above, the adjective kioma is often used.

Examples.--_Sur kioma pago vi vidis tion?_ = On what page did you see that? _Kioma pago estas?_ = What page is it? _Kioma horo estas?_ = What o'clock is it? _Estas la dua_ = It is two o'clock. _Kiun daton ni havas?_ = What is the date (or, day of the month)? _Hodiau estas la dudek-sepa_ (or, 27a) _de Marto_ = To-day is the 27th of March.

117. Ordinal adverbs are formed by adding _E_ to the cardinals, as:--unue, _firstly_, due, _secondly_, sepe, _seventhly_, etc.

118. Substantives are formed from the cardinals by adding _O_. They have various meanings, as:--Unuo = _a unit_, or _a one_. Duo = _a duet_, or _a two_ (of cards). Trio = _a trio_, or _triplet_, or _a three_ (of cards). Kvaro, etc. = _a four_, etc. (of cards, etc., up to ten). Dek-duo = _a dozen_. Deko = _half a score_. Dudeko = _a score_. Cento = _a hundred_. Milo = _a thousand_. Miliono = _a million_.

Examples.--_Li havas dudekojn da cevaloj, centojn da safoj, kaj milojn da birdoj_ = He has scores of horses, hundreds of sheep, and thousands of birds. _Tiuj ludkartoj estas la kvaro pika kaj la seso kera_ = Those cards are the four of spades and the six of hearts.

_Tiu cifero estas oko_ = That figure is an eight.

Multiples (_Numeraloj multoblaj_).

119. Multiples are formed by the addition of the suffix _-OBL-_ to the cardinals, and then adding _A_, _E_, or _O_ to mark the adjective, adverb, or noun. They can also be formed into transitive verbs by the suffix _-IGI-_, or intransitive by the suffix _-IGI-_.

Examples.--_Unuobla_ = Single. _Unuoble_ = Singly. _Duobla_ = Double, twofold. _Duoble_ = Doubly. _La duoblo_ = The double. _Duobligi_ = To double, to duplicate. _Duobligi_ = To become double. _Triobla_ = Triple, threefold. _Trioble_ = Trebly. _La trioblo_ = The treble (of). _Triobligi_ = To treble, to triplicate. _Kvarobla_ = Fourfold, quadruple. _Kvaroble_ = Quadruply. _Kvaroblo_ = A quadruple.

_Kvarobligi_ = To quadruple, to make fourfold. _Kvarobligi_ = To become quadruple. _Sepobla_ = Sevenfold, septuple. _Centoblo_ = A centuple. _Kvin.o.ble sep estas tridek kvin_ = Five times (fivefold) 7 is 35. _Nauoble ok estas sepdek du_ = Nine times (ninefold) 8 is 72.

_Kvaroble kvar estas dek ses_ = Four times four is 16. _Dudek estas la kvaroblo de kvin_ = Twenty is the quadruple of five. _Duobla fadeno estas pli forta ol unuobla_ = A double thread is stronger than a single (one). _Kvarobligante sepdek kvin vi ricevas la centoblon de tri_ = By quadrupling 75 you get the centuple of 3.