Locative, _i_.
Motion to, _fua_, _isuli_, _suli_.
Motion from, _fasi_, _ita_.
Causation, _fafi_.
Position, _fonosi_.
Dative, _fua_.
Instrumental, _ana_, _ani_.
Relation, _ana_, _ani_, _fai_, _sai_, _usi_.
Gentive, _ni_, _i_.
The locative _i_ is seen in _ifai_ where; it is also largely used
with adverbs of place and time and it precedes every name of place.
With the exception of the locative, the instrumental, the genitive,
and also _ana_, _ita_, _usi_, all the foregoing prepositions are
used with a suffixed pronoun; _ita_ is used with the possessive.
_Isuli_ denotes motion after, motion over: _sulia rodo ma na asua_
day and night, _manata suli_ to know.
_Fafi_ means, about, concerning, because of, around, on: _gera ogu
fafia_ they crowded round him, _nia alua abana fafia_ he laid his
hand on him, _lau fafi_ to rescue, _fafi taa_ what about, why;
_fuana_ in order that, _mae fuana_ to die to his disadvantage, _soe
ledia fuana_ question him about it, _bae fuana_ forbid him, _fuana
taa_ wherefore?
Of the two instrumental prepositions _ana_ is the one in more
general use, its meaning is with: _doo gera saungia ana_ the thing
they killed him with. _Ana_ appears to denote the actual instrument,
_ani_ the method of action; _ani_ may be translated withal. When the
noun denoting the instrument is not preceded by an article or when
the noun is used in a general sense, _ani_ is used in the place of
_ana_: _suu fafia ani taa_ to clothe himself with what? _lea ani
ola_ to go by canoe.
The pronoun _a_ may be suffixed to _ani_; _tasi doo gera
qaifamanatai ania_ the thing they taught withal; _ka modea na toongi
ua inao ania_ to mend the old garment withal.
_Ana_ also denotes at, in, place where, among: _luma ana foaa_
(_luma ni foaa_) a house of prayer, _kakao ana ano_ an earthen
vessel, _nia liu ana ta maaedangi_ he went on a certain day, _tani
ai ana aigi_ some of the people, _nia saea ana satana_ he called him
by his name, _o ngalia ana ati_ from whom did you get it? _lea ana
fera_ to go into the country. _Ani_ is used as meaning in, _e langi
ani nau_ there is nothing in me, _gera ote gera ani nau_ they will
have nothing to do with me.
_Fai_ means with: _faioe_ with thee, _qaimani fai_ to help, _oko
gaimani fainau_ you help me. The genitive _ni_ may be added, _lea
fainia_ go with him; _fainia_ moreover, and.
_Sia_ means at, at home, and always has the suffixed pronoun. By
the ordinary Melanesian idiom place at comes to be used of motion
to: _siagamelu chez nous_, _siena ere_ beside the fire, _lea mai
siegu_ come here to me. _Usi_ means over, on behalf of, for: _gera
ngisu usia_ they spat on him, _na captain usia na too_ a captain
over the people, _na taba olisia usia na aigi_ a redemption for the
people.
The genitives have been dealt with under nouns: _i_ is in most
general use, both are used to express purpose, and _ni_ also denotes
for, belonging to: _fasia muka manata ni bae uri_ think not to say
thus, _gera mou ni oli_ they feared to return, _ka ote nia ni
rosuli_ he is tired of obeying.