[ki-, ti-, i-, cxi-, neni-] plus [o, a, e, u, om, am , el, al, es] forms 45 correlative (interrelated) words. Give below the meanings of the roots (5) and endings (9): ki o a ti e u i om am cxi el al neni es Prepositions (little words which show the relationship between two other words.) cup on table; saucer under cup; milk with sugar in coffee Some prepositions in Esperanto: al to gxis until, up to cxe near, with kun with, together de of, from por for dum while, during pro for (because of) en in sub under sur on (position) Mi estas membro de la Junulara Esperantista Klubo, kaj mi iris al la Esperanto-Kongreso, kiu okazis en San-Francisko. Ni vojagxis de Nov-Jorko dum tri tagoj en nia auxtobuseto, kaj ne haltis gxis ni alvenis al Dalaso, en Teksaso. Tie ni vizitis niajn geamikojn kaj mangxis. Ni portis sandvicxojn por la tagmangxo, kaj ili estis sub la segxoj sur kiuj ni sidis. Ni dankis niajn geamikojn pro la bona kongreso. [Vocabulary: Junularo: a group of young people; okazi: to take place; auxtobuseto: minibus; alveni al: to arrive at; tagmangxo: lunch; geamikoj: friends (male and female); iri: to go]. Note the use of "pro" after "dankis". Prepositions can be tricky - there is no word-for-word correspondence between prepositions in English and Esperanto. The "Plena Vortaro" (Esperanto-Esperanto dictionary) is a good source of examples. More prepositions in Esperanto: anstataux instead of kontraux against antaux in front of, before per with (by means of) apud near, next to post after (time) da of (quantities) pri about, concerning ekster outside (of) sen without el out of, from within super above inter among, between tra through La knabo sen hejmtasko staris antaux la instruisto; anstataux la hejmtasko, li prenis el koverto leteron pri la afero. Estis bela tago ekster la cxambro, kaj la instruisto staris apud la fenestro, tra kiu venis brila sunlumo, per kiu li legis la leteron. Inter la vortoj estis tiom da tipaj knabaj eraroj, ke post nelonge, la knabo klinigxis super la tablo, kaj pantoflo batis kontraux lia postajxo. [Vocabulary: hejmtasko: homework; stari: to stand; preni: to take; koverto: envelope; afero: case; fenestro: window; veni: to come; sunlumo: sunlight; legi: to read; vorto: word; tipa: typical; klini: bow, lean over; pantoflo: slipper; bati: to hit; postajxo: behind, bottom] More about prepositions: When an 'object thing' occurs in a sentence, and when that 'object thing' is a pronoun (I, he, she, etc.) it takes the object or accusative form (me, him, her, etc). Thus we say that the preposition in English 'governs' or requires the accusative form. The only place in English where the accusative is different from the nominative (subject form) is in the pronouns. A cake for him. A letter for her. In Esperanto, a preposition governs the nominative (subject) form of a thing, either noun or pronoun. Kuko por li. (not lin!) Letero por sxi. (not sxin!) You will be well understood if you follow this rule. But don't be surprised if you see a preposition followed by a "-n" word! Let's see why: There is a difference between "I walked in the garden" and "I walked into the garden". In the first case, I was already in the garden, walking around, and in the second case, I was outside the garden and walked to a position inside the garden. Instead of "I walked into the garden" we can say: "I walked to in-the-garden", which translates: "Mi promenis al en-la-gxardeno." and we actually say:"Mi promenis en la gxardenon." Ah ha! The last "-n" indicates the omitted preposition, usually 'al', which showed movement toward something. Therefore we can say, "The accusative "-n" after a preposition shows motions toward." Mi iris en la cxambron. (into the room) Mi promenas ekster la domon. (to the outside of) Do not use "-n" after: al, gxis, de, el. They already show motion. Also: Use "-n" with dates to show an omitted preposition: Mi estis en Nov-Jorko pasintan mardon [(on) last Tuesday]. ----- Let's take a look now at some very important verbs... voli (want), povi (can, be able), devi (must, have to) Mi volas veni Mi volas kompreni I want to come I want to understand Mi povas veni Mi povas kompreni I am able to come I am able to understand I can come I can understand Mi devas veni Mi devas kompreni I must come I must understand I have to come I have to understand [Always use the infinitive verb after voli, povi, devi.] placxi al, sxati, ami Io aux iu placxas al mi. Something or someone is pleasing to me. I like someone or something (a mild, noncommittal verb) Mi sxatas ion. I esteem, greatly like something. (inanimate objects, etc.) Mi amas iun. I love someone (or pets). Libroj placxas al mi. Books are pleasing to me. I like books. Betty placxas al mi. Betty is pleasing to me. I like Betty. Mi sxatas cxokoladajn kuketojn. I really like chocolate cupcakes. Mi amas vian filinon. I love (am in love with) your daughter. koni vs. scii Mi konas... I know OF, I am aware of such a person, place or thing, or happening. Mi scias... I know something, have studied it. Cxu vi konas Johanon? Do you know John? Cxu vi scias Esperanton? Do you know Esperanto? Cxu vi konas Esperanton? Are you familiar with Esperanto? ----- We need to consider actions (verbs) in more detail. We have already dealt with the simple verbs ending in "is", "as", and "os". Now we take a look at compound (two-part) verbs, in which the first part gives the general time of the action and the second part gives the state of the action. Before looking at the Esperanto use of compound verbs, let's look at the use of compound verbs in English. __________________________ extract from here ____________________________ Ekzercoj, Leciono Ok (parto unu) In the following diagram, under 'General Time', write either yesterday, now, tomorrow. Under 'State of Action', write completed, on-going, or not yet. General Time State of Action He is reading He was reading He will have eaten He is about to go He will be reading He has eaten He was about to write He had eaten He will be about to go __________________________ extract to here ____________________________ Notice that the first part of the two-part verb, which we call the auxiliary or helping verb, is 'to be' except when the action has been completed; in that case, English uses the auxiliary verb 'to have'. In Esperanto, the auxiliary verb is always esti (to be). (yesterday) Li estis \/ mangxinta (completed) (now) Li estas -- leganta (proceeding) (tomorrow) Li estos /\ skribonta (not yet) The idea is simple, but the explanation is somewhat confusing and difficult; hang in there! Let's look now at a fuller demonstration of Compound Verbs in Esperanto.... Compound Verb Tenses - Active (inta, anta, onta) Jeanne has regular habits. Using simple verb tenses we say: every day at 8:00 "She eats her breakfast." "Sxi mangxas sian matenmangxon." (sia - his/her own) every day at 8:05 "She reads her paper." "Sxi legas sian jxurnalon." every day at 8:10 "She writes a letter." "Sxi skribas leteron." But none of these actions is instantaneous, and we can show this better by using the compound verb tenses: and say at 8:00 "She is eating her breakfast." "Sxi estas mangxanta sian matenmangxon." and say at 8:05 "She is reading her paper." "Sxi estas leganta sian jxurnalon." and say at 8:10 "She is writing a letter." "Sxi estas skribanta leteron." Suppose we are spying on her, and we report by phone at 8:05; then at 8:05 we would say: present state of time action "She has eaten her breakfast." "Sxi estas mangxinta sian matenmangxon." "She is reading her paper." "Sxi estas leganta sian jxurnalon." "She is about to write a letter." "Sxi estas skribonta leteron." Later during the day, we may have to confirm in writing what we previously reported. Then we would say that by 8:05: "She had eaten her breakfast" "Sxi estis mangxinta sian matenmangxon." "She was reading her paper." "Sxi estis leganta sian jxurnalon." "She was about to write a letter." "Sxi estis skribonta leteron." Also, we must tell the next day's spy what to expect. We tell her that if she gets there by 8:05, she will find that: "She will have eaten her breakfast." "Sxi estos mangxinta sian matenmangxon." "She will be reading her paper." "Sxi estos leganta sian jxurnalon." "She will be about to write a letter." "Sxi estos skribonta leteron." Compound Verb Tenses - Active Participles (action is preformed by the subject of the sentence) inta (action recently completed). anta (action still on-going) onta (action soon to begin) Please note: because participles are actually adjectives, [Cf. kuranta knabo, a running boy] they must agree in number with the subject. For example, Ili estas mangxintaj They have eaten Ni estis irontaj We were about to go Vi estos skribantaj You will be writing ----- Wow! That last lesson had a lot in it, so let's do something a little simpler. Numbers: unu du tri kvar kvin ses Fractions: duono triono kvarono kvinono sesono 1/3 = (unu) triono; 3/4 = tri kvaronoj; 7/16 = sep deksesonoj; 5/8 = kvin okonoj Note the following: (contrast the expressions) I look, and then I see. Mi rigardas, kaj tiam mi vidas. I listen, and then I hear. Mi auxskultas, kaj tiam mi auxdas. I think, then afterwards I have an opinion. Mi pensas, kaj poste mi havas opinion. [I think that... Mi opinias, ke...] His father drank his lemonade. (Whose lemonade?) Lia patro trinkis lian limonadon. (NOT the father's lemonade) Lia patro trinkis sian limonadon. (YES, the father's lemonade) sia (third person) refers to the subject of the sentence: (his own, her own, one's own, their own). The box is blue, isn't it? La skatolo estas blua, cxu ne? [Watch your answer! The box isn't blue, is it? What would JES mean?] La skatolo ne estas blua, cxu? Shades of meaning by using the suffixes -eg and -et: bonega excellent varmega hot bona good varma warm boneta fair varmeta lukewarm malboneta poor malvarmeta cool malbona bad malvarma cold malbonega terrible malvarmega freezing Verb prefixes and suffixes: ek-, -ad-, -igx-, and -ig- La suno ekbrilis. The sun began to shine. ek La birdoj ekkantis. The birds began to sing. La ondoj ekdancis. The waves began to dance. The waves suddenly danced. La suno briladis. The sun kept on shining. The sun shone and shone. ad La birdoj kantadis. The birds kept on singing. The birds sang and sang. La ondoj dancadis. The waves kept on dancing. The waves danced and danced. La sablo sekigxis. The sand became (got) dry. The sand dried up. igx La aero varmigxis. The air became (got) warm. The air warmed up. La homoj rugxigxis The people became (got) red. The people reddened (blushed). La suno sekigis la sablon. The sun made the sand dry. The sun dried up the sand. ig La suno varmigis la aeron. The sun made the air warm. The sun warmed up the air. La suno rugxigis la homojn. The sun made the people red. The sun reddened the people ----- La vivo cxe nia klubo estas tre interesa. Je la 7-a (sepa), diskludilo ekludas, kaj ludadas gxis la 8-a, kiam gxi silentigxas. Ni studadas inter la 8-a kaj la 9-a, kaj ankaux la instruisto paroladas al ni (=li faras paroladon). Je la 9-a, ni mangxetas kaj la diskoj eksonas denove, kaj la dancado dauxras gxis la 10-a kiam ni ekiras hejmen. Esperanto interesas min. Mi interesigxis antaux du monatoj, kaj tiam mi aligxis al la klubo; mi ankaux interesigis mian fratinon, kaj varbis sxin. Dum la unua horo, ni ludas tablotenison kaj bilardon. Mi plibonigxas je tabloteniso, sed malplibonigxas je bilardo. Dum la dua horo, ni havas legadon, skribadon, kaj esperantan kantadon. Poste, du frauxlinoj varmigas la kafon, kaj kiam la kafo suficxe varmigxas, oni malfermas la bufedon. La kafo estas suficxe varma je la 9-a. La novaj membroj rapide interesigxas pri la aliaj geknaboj cxe la klubo. Ili ofte ekrigardas unu la alian, kaj de tempo al tempo frauxlino ekploras se sxia amiko interesigxas pri alia frauxlino. [disk-lud-il-o: record player; ludi: to play; studi: to study; monato: month; ankaux: also; paroli: to speak; parol-ad-i: to lecture; soni: to sound; denove: again; dauxri: to continue; iri: to go; aligxi: to join; varbi: to recruit; frauxlo: bachelor; fermi: to close; bufedo: buffet; ofte: often; plori: to cry; alia: another; tempo: time.] Note: pli = more; plej = most; malpli = less; malplej = least. So: pli bona: better; plej bona: best; malpli bona: worse; malplej bona: worst. ----- Time: "Kioma (how-many-eth) horo (hour) estas?" For hours, "Estas la unua, la dua, la tria, ktp ("etc."). For hours plus minutes, "Estas la tria, dudek" or "Estas la tria kaj dudek (3:20)". Also used: "Estas la sepa kaj duono (7:30)" or "Estas la sepa kaj kvarono (7:15)." Indirect Speech: (note the use of tense in Esperanto) "direct" He said, "I came from New York." Li diris, "Mi venis de Nov-Jorko." "indirect" He said (that) he came from New York. Li diris, ke li venis de Nov-Jorko. "direct" He said, "I'm waiting for my suitcase." Li diris, "Mi atendas mian valizon." "indirect" He said (that) he was waiting for his suitcase. Li diris, ke li atendas sian valizon. "direct" He said, "I shall go to Paris." Li diris, "Mi iros al Parizo." "indirect" He said (that) he was going to Paris. Li diris, ke li iros al Parizo. In indirect speech, always use the verb that would be used in the direct speech equivalent. This is sometimes called "the logical tense". Also note that you must always use "ke" (that) even if it is not used in the English sentence. ----- Regular word building: Applicable to all animal families: ox cow calf herd bovo bovino bovido bovaro sheep ewe lamb flock sxafo sxafino sxafido sxafaro dog bitch puppy pack hundo hundino hundido hundaro horse mare foal herd cxevalo ... ... ... rabbit rabbit -- -- kuniklo ... ... ... Got the idea? In Esperanto it's easy, but in English it's hard! A few more word building suffixes and prefixes: ge- gepatroj gesinjoroj geknaboj of both parents ladies and boys and girls sexes gentlemen -an klubano vilagxano nov-jorkano member of club member villager New Yorker -eg pluvego ridego bonega enormous downpour hearty laugh excellent -ej klubejo trinkejo necesejo place for clubhouse pub restroom (WC) -et libreto mangxeto monteto tiny booklet snack hill -ul junulo blindulo belulino person youth blind person a beauty bo- bofrato bopatrino in-law brother-in-law mother-in-law Logic dictates when to use prefixes and suffixes, but there are no precise rules. So use them when they make sense. Can anything be easier? Kio estas la puno por bigamio? Du bopatrinoj! Summary of verb forms: (What makes the following so great is that it can be used with all verbs; no exceptions!) Simple verb forms (use with any noun or pronoun subject). dormi [infinitive] to sleep dormis [past time] (yesterday) dormas [present time] (now) dormos [future time] (tomorrow) dormus [conditional] Se mi estus ricxa, mi estus kontenta. If I were rich, I would be content. (describes situation that aren't true.) dormu! [imperative] A command! Aux silentu, aux foriru. Either be quiet or go away. Common verb affixes: re: repeat of action; again re- -igx- ek: sudden start or short duration [verb root] -ad- ad: continual action ek- -ig- igx: to become ig: to make (something happen) Compound verbs - active (Action by the subject of sentence) Sxi estis mangxinta sian matenmangxon. Sxi estas leganta sian jxurnalon. Sxi estos skribonta leteron. Note: participles can have a plural form: Mi estas mangxinta. Ni estas mangxintaj. And participles can be used as adjectives: La dormanta knabo: The sleeping boy. Compound verbs - passive (Action on the subject of sentence) Compare: active: Li estas leganta la jxurnalon. He is reading the newspaper. passive: La jxurnalo estas legata de li. The paper is being-read by him. Compare with lesson 8: La matenmangxo estis \/ mangxita de sxi. La jxurnalo estas -- legata de sxi. La letero estos /\ skribota de sxi. ita, been -ed; ata, being -ed; ota, about to be -ed. Our apologies for packing all that stuff in such a small mail - but just try to cover the same information about any other language in anything smaller than a textbook. The compound verbs are used a lot less in Esperanto than in English. Use of the simple form is usually good enough. Instead of "Li estis mangxinta", we say "Li mangxis." Participles can be used as nouns. aminto someone who was loving active: amanto someone who is loving amonto someone who will-be loving amito someone who was loved passive: amato someone who is loved amoto someone who will-be loved Noun participles can have feminine [amantino] and plural [amatoj] forms. They can be formed from any verb [parolanto, dormintoj, falontino (the girl who is about to fall)]. Note the difference between -anto and -isto: instruanto: one who teaches (not professionally) instruisto: a teacher (professional) A little more about the correlatives in lesson 5: tio = that thing cxi tio = this thing tiu = that (one, person) cxi tiu = this one, person tie = there, that place cxi tie = this place, here kiom = how much, how many; kiom da = how many (of) something Kiom da amikoj vi havas? How many friends do you have? Kiom gxi kostas? How much does it cost? kies = whose Kies plumo gxi estas? Whose pen is it? answer: Gxi estas la plumo de Johano. (No shorter way of saying "John's pen") Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday dimancxo lundo mardo merkredo jxauxdo vendredo sabato January February March April May June July januaro februaro marto aprilo majo junio julio August September October November December auxgusto septembro oktobro novembro decembro La Lingvo Por Ni (Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean) Sur montoj kaj step' indianoj, Cxasadas kun rugx-famili', Kaj se vi postulas parolon, el kanjon' eliras la kri': # ES-PER-AN-TO estas la lingvo por ni, por ni! ES PER AN TO estas la lingvo por ni! En densa afrika gxangalo, la bonaj amikoj de ni Jam solvis la lingvan problemon, Per tamtam' eliras la kri': # Cxe norda poluso eskimoj, logxadas en negxo, glaci'; Se ili bezonas parolon, auxdigxas la tutsama kri'; # Sur tuta la vasta terglobo, en urboj el cxiu naci' Trovigxas sam-ide-an-aro, de buboj elsonas la kri': # Indianoj, nigruloj, eskimoj; urbanoj kaj buboj kaj mi Jam uzas la Zamenhof-lingvon, Do, vivu, prosperu la kri': # (Note: An apostrophe denotes an "o" which as been left out for poetic or musical reasons, do not do this in prose.) HEY! I want to add something here. The replacement of the final "o" in a noun without the -j or -n endings by an apostrophe, or of the "a" in "la" by an apostrophe when there's a vowel either to before or after the "la" (lest it be unpronouncable) is allowed, though used almost exclusively in poetry. This is called elision (elizio). Look at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Esperanto: Brilu, brilu eta stel', Diamanto de l' ^ciel'. Tiel alta super Ter', Kio estas vi, en ver'? Brilu, brilu eta stel', Diamanto de l' ^ciel'. Stelo = star, diamanto = diamond, ^cielo = sky, tero = earth/land/ground.