Prepositions

In Pandunia, prepositions are words that can function almost like verbs. They always take an object. The most frequent prepositions in Pandunia are a (location), pa (destination) and ja (origin). They have broader meanings in Pandunia than the corresponding prepositions in English.

Location: a

The preposition a expresses general location in time or space, 'at, by, in, on'.

memen marche a dao. – We walk ON the road.
mau side a mez. – A cat sits ON the table.
mi mus sta long a labur. – I must stay long AT work.

Destination: pa

The preposition pa denotes destination in the broadest sense.

It denotes the destination of movement, 'to'.

homen marche pa bazar. – They walk TO the market.

It denotes the destination of giving i.e. the recipient, 'to, for'.

mi don ye buk pa tumen. – I give this book TO you.
ye buk sa pa tumen. – This book if FOR you.

It denotes the causal destination, 'for, for the purpose of'.

mi vud morte pa mi se nasia. – I would die FOR my nation.

Origin: ja

The preposition ja denotes separation or origin in the broadest sense.

It denotes the origin of movement, 'from'.

homen anda ja Brazil. – They come FROM Brazil.

It denotes also the origin of existence, 'of'.

lexe kitab sa ja arabi asle. – The word kitab is OF Arabic origin.

It denotes also the material origin, 'of'.

kupe sa ja glas. – The cup is made OF glass.

It denotes also the causal origin, 'because of'.

mau mortu ja seni umre. – The cat died OF old age.
mau mortu ja toxe. – The cat died BECAUSE OF poison.

It denotes also the mental origin, 'of, about'.

memen loga ja tumen. – We talk ABOUT you.
me fikra ja ashe. – I think OF hope.

en ('inside')

The preposition en denotes location on the inside, 'in, inside'.

presiden siru en burge. – The president hides in the castle.

ex ('outside')

The preposition ex denotes location on the outside, 'out, outside'.

deme protesta ex burge. – People protest outside the castle.

kon ('in the company of')

The preposition kon denotes togetherness, 'with, in the company of'.

ho loga kon shef. – He/she talks with the chief.

pos ('after')

The preposition pos denotes later position in time or space, 'after, later than'.

homen anda pos me. – They come after me.

pre ('before')

The preposition pre denotes earlier position in time or space, 'before, in front of'.

homen anda pre me. – They come before me.

pro ('toward')

The preposition pro denotes direction or intention, 'toward, forth, for, for the sake of, pro'.

me kursa pro salia. – I jog for health.

re ('back')

The preposition re denotes movement back, 'back, in return'.

ho dona buk re me. – He gave the book back to me.

tra ('through')

The preposition tra denotes piercing through, 'through'.

via ('by way of')

The preposition via denotes road or way, 'via, by way of'.

memen anda pa Berlin via Praha. – We come to Berlin via Prague.

vice ('instead of')

The preposition vice denotes substitution, 'instead of, on behalf of'.

ho loga vice me. – He talks on my behalf.