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4.4. Other Pronouns (Hi and Ne)

The pronouns hi and ne replace previously mentioned information.

4.4.1. The Pronoun "Hi"

The Prononimal "Hi"

The pronominal hi refers to previously mentioned information that comes after the prepositions ad, en or sopre.

Credes en lo amore ad prima vista?Do you believe in love at first sight?
Non, non hi credo.No, I do not believe in it.
Pènsas ad lo futuro?Are you thinking about the future?
Sí, hi pènso.Yes, I am thinking about it.
Que mettes sopre la mesa?What are you putting on the table?
Hi metto un vaso de flores.I am putting a vase of flowers on it.

The Adverbial Pronoun "Hi"

In this sense, "hi" refers to a previously mentioned place. The meaning can be equivalent to "here" or "there".

Has jammais estato en Espannîa?Have you ever been to Spain?
Sí, hi hao estato.Yes, I have been there.
Vives ad Roma?Have you ever been to Rome?
Non, non hi vivo.No, I do not live there.

"Hi" in "There is/There are"

“Hi” is also used in expressions like “there is/there are”. The two options for expressing this are “havere-hi” and “èssere-hi”.

Havere-hi

Hi ha un libro.There is a book.
Hi ha doos libros.There are two books.
note

When using "havere-hi", it is always conjugated in the third person singular form, no matter the number of subjects. Cognates are found in various Romance languages: Spanish ("Hay" = "ha" + "ý" from Old Spanish), Catalan ("Hi ha") and French ("Il y a").

Èssere-hi

But with “èssere-hi”, the conjugation must agree with the quantity of the subject.

Hi èst un libro.There is a book.
Hi son doos libros.There are two books.

4.4.2. The Pronoun "Ne"

The Pronominal "Ne"

Parlamos de educatione.We speak about education.
Ne parlamos.We talk about it.
Ès securo de cuello que has dicto?Are you sure of what you have said?
Sí, ne so securo.I am sure of it.
Que pènsas de mèa idèa?What do you think of my idea?
Que ne pènsas?What do you think of it.

The Partitive "Ne"

Vòles de la torta?Do you want some some cake?
Sí, ne vòllîo un pauco.Yes, I want some of it.
Quantos libros has?How many books do you have?
Ne hai tres.I have three of them.