66. An adverb is a word which modifies the meaning of a verb, adjective,
another adverb, or phrase. It may express manner, time, degree,
negation, etc. Adverbs are either primary, as "now," "almost," or
derived, as "glad-ly," "sweet-ly," The Esperanto primary adverbs given
in this and in preceding lessons may be classified as follows:
(a) Temporal Adverbs (expressing time).
baldaux = soon. morgaux = tomorrow.
hieraux = yesterday. nun = now.
hodiaux = today. tuj = immediately.
(b) Adverbs of Degree.
almenaux = at least. preskaux = almost.
nur = merely. tre = very, much.
(c) Adverbs Expressing Other Ideas.
addition: ankaux = also. emphasis: ecx = even.
interrogation: cxu, (30). affirmation: jes = yes.
proximity: cxi, (60). negation: ne = not, no, (27).
a. An adverb usually precedes, but may also follow, the word or words
which it modifies. It must be so placed as to leave no doubt about which
of two words or word-groups it is intended to modify. Thus, "mi preskaux
volis havi tiun" clearly means "I almost wished to have that"; but "mi
volis preskaux havi tiun" might mean either "I almost wished to have
that," or more probably "I wished almost to have that." An example of
permissible variation in the position of adverbs is shown in questions
to which an affirmative answer is expected. Such questions may be put in
the form of a statement, followed by "cxu ne" (instead of having "cxu"
introduce the sentence, with "ne" in its normal position):
Li venos, cxu ne? He will come, will he not?
La vetero estas bela, cxu ne? The weather is beautiful, is it not?
Vi auxdis tiun diron, cxu ne? You heard that remark, did you not?