In the following remarks on prepositions the examples given of their use are placed under the various classes that their English rendering would assign to them; but we must bear in mind that, in accordance with Rule 14, every Esperanto preposition, except je, has a defined and constant meaning (par. 250). This _defined_ meaning is given at the _head_ of each preposition. The meanings given in the _classes_ are only the _various English renderings_ that can be given to the preposition (see English prepositions, pars. 260, 261).
Examples.--_Li venis al ni_ = He came to (_or_ towards) us. _Mi iras al Parizo_, or, _Mi iras Parizon_ = I am going to Paris. If _al_ be omitted, _Parizon_ must be in the accusative of direction. _Ni ne vidas, ĉar la lumo estas kaŝata al ni per la kurtenoj_ = We do not see, because the light is hidden from (towards) us by the curtains.
N.B.--_Kaŝata al_, not _de_, which, after a passive participle, means "by"; but independently of this, _al_ is logically used after _kaŝi_, in the sense of "to hide from"; as:--_Sed pro kio kaŝi al li vian amon?_ = But why conceal from him your love?
Examples.--_Mi donis akvon al la birdoj_ = I gave water to the birds. _La rozo apartenas al Teodoro_ = The rose belongs to Theodore. _Donu vestaĵon al la malriĉuloj_ = Give clothing to the poor.
N.B.--With some verbs _al_ is often used with the complement in the nominative, when in English we omit the preposition, as:--_Li konsilis al mi fari tion_ = He advised me to do that. _Ordonu al li_ (or, _Ordonu lin_), _ke li ne faru tion_ = Order him not to do that.
_Al_ is also sometimes used with personal pronouns in a possessive sense, as:--_Li lavis al si la manojn_, or, _Li lavis siajn manojn_ = He washed his hands (see par. 134).
As a prefix, _al_ signifies "to," "towards," as:--_Alveni_ = To come to, arrive. _Alpreni_ = To take to, adopt. _Alpaŝi_ = To step towards, approach.
One of the prepositions that may be used before the Infinitive (see remarks on Infinitive, pars. 177, 179).
Substitution = _Instead of_, _for_, _in place of_, _as a substitute for_, _in room of_.
Examples.--_Anstataŭ li, oni sendis lian fraton_ = Instead of him, they sent his brother. _Anstataŭ kafo li donis al mi teon_ = Instead of coffee he gave me tea. _Anstataŭ eliri, li restis en la domo_ = Instead of going out, he remained in the house. _Anstataŭ unu el la oficistoj_ = In place of one of the officials.