The famous constructed language Esperanto first appeared in Russian Poland in 1887, the product of a Polish-Jewish opthalmologist and amateur linguist, Dr. Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof. Dr. Zamenhof hoped that the worldwide adoption of a neutral international language would ease ethnic tensions and enable people of widely differing backgrounds to communicate with each other. The name of the language means "one who hopes." Esperanto is not officially aligned with any particular country or ethnic group; indeed, one can find Esperanto speakers in well over 100 countries around the world. Pasporta Servo, a hospitality service for Esperanto speakers, includes more than 1,300 addresses in almost ninety different countries.

Pronunciation guide [ edit ]

Esperanto uses twenty-eight letters from the Roman alphabet. Its spelling is phonetic, each sound has a single letter and each letter represents a single sound, with no exceptions. The letters Q, W, X, and Y are not used. Five of the letters have a circumflex on top of them (ĉ ĝ ĥ ĵ ŝ) and one has a breve (ŭ). Esperanto speakers represent these letters in situations where the circumflex cannot be used (e.g. unformatted e-mail where only basic ASCII characters can be used) either by placing an "x" after the letter; placing an "h" after the letter (this is the method approved by Esperanto's creator, Dr. Zamenhof); or placing the circumflex itself (^) after the letter. On the Internet, most Esperantists use the "x" method, so that ĉ ĝ ĥ ĵ ŝ ŭ would be cx gx hx jx sx ux.

Words are always pronounced with the accent on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable.

Vowels [ edit ]

a as in father e as in bet i as in machine o as in porous u as in hoop

ŭ w as in shower j y as in yoga

Consonants [ edit ]

b as in boy c as ts in cats ĉ as ch in church ( IPA: [tʃ] ) d as in down f as in food g as in gain ĝ as j in jeep ( IPA: [dʒ] ) h as in hot ĥ guttural as in Scottish loch, Spanish j, German bach or Arabic خ ( IPA: [x] ) ĵ as s in measure ( IPA: [ʒ] ) k as in skip l as in look m as in man n as in no p as in spin r rolled as in Spanish or Italian s as in some ŝ as sh in she ( IPA: [ʃ] ) t as in stop v as in van z as in zoo

Common diphthongs [ edit ]

aŭ similar to cow; ( IPA: /au̯/ ) eŭ similar to wayward ( IPA: /eu̯/ ) oj similar to joy ( IPA: /oi̯/ ) aj similar to aisle ( IPA: /ai̯/ ) ej similar to pain ( IPA: /ei̯/ ) uj similar to gooey ( IPA: /ui̯/ )

Phrase list [ edit ]

Modern Esperanto, like English, does not distinguish between polite & intimate forms of address (e.g. the Spanish "tú" and "usted" for the intimate and polite 2nd person singular, respectively). There is only one form used in the 2nd person, both singular and plural.

Basics [ edit ]

Common signs

MALFERMA Open FERMA Closed ENIREJO Entrance ELIREJO Exit PUŜU Push ELTIRU Pull NECESEJO Toilet VIROJ Men VIRINOJ Women MALPERMESA Forbidden





Hello. Saluton. (Sah-LU-tohn) How are you? Kiel vi fartas? (KEE-ehl vee FAHRR-tahs?) Fine, thank you. Bone, dankon. (BOH-neh, DAN-kohn) What is your name? Kiel vi nomiĝas? (KEE-ehl vee noh-MEE-jas?) My name is ______ . Mi nomiĝas _____ . (mee nom-MEE-jas) Nice to meet you. Estas plezuro renkonti vin. (or simply "Plezuro.") (EHS-tahs pleh-ZOO-roh rehn-KOHN-tee veen) Please. Bonvolu. (Bohn-VOH-loo) Thank you. Dankon. (DAHN-kohn) You're welcome. Nedankinde. (neh-dahn-KEEN-deh) (Lit. "Not worthy of thanks") Yes. Jes. (yehs) No. Ne. (neh) Excuse me. Pardonu min. (pahrr-DOH-noo meen) I'm sorry. Mi bedaŭras. (mee beh-DOW-rrahs) Goodbye Ĝis la revido. (jees lah rreh-VEE-doh) Bye. Ĝis. (jees) I can't speak ______. Mi ne parolas ______. (mi neh pah-RROH-lahs) Do you speak English? Ĉu vi parolas la anglan? (choo vee pah-RROH-lahs lah AHN-glahn) Is there someone here who speaks English? Ĉu estas iu ĉi tie, kiu parolas la anglan? (choo EH-stahs EE-yoo chee-TEE-eh KEE-oo pah-ROH-lahs lah AHN-glahn) Help! Helpu! (HEL-pu) Good morning. Bonan tagon (bonan matenon) (BOH-nahn TAH-gohn (mah-TEH-nohn)) Good afternoon. Bonan posttagmezon. (BOH-nahn pohst-tahg-MEHZ-ohn) Good evening. Bonan vesperon. (BOH-nahn vehs-PEH-rrohn) Good night. Bonan nokton. (BOH-nahn NOHK-tohn) Workers of the world, unite! Proletoj de ĉiuj landoj, unuiĝu! (pro-LEHT-oy de ch-EE-uy land-OY, uuh-nuh-EE-ju)) I don't understand. Mi ne komprenas. (mee neh kohm-PRREH-nahs) Where is the toilet? Kie estas la necesejo? (KEE-eh EH-stahs la neh-tseh-SAY-oh)

Problems [ edit ]

Leave me alone. Lasu min. (LAH-soo meen) Don't touch me! Ne tuŝu min! (neh TOO-shoo meen!) I'll call the police. Mi telefonos la policejon. (mee teh-leh-FOH-nohs lah poh-lee-TSEH-yohn) Police! Policon! (poh-LEE-tsohn!) Stop! Thief! Haltu! Ŝtelisto! (HAHL-too! shteh-LEE-stoh!) I need your help. Mi bezonas vian helpon. (mee beh-ZOH-nahs VEE-ahn HEHL-pohn) It's an emergency. Estas krizo. (EH-stahs KRREE-zoh) I'm lost. Mi perdiĝas. (mee pehrr-DEE-jahs) I lost my bag. Mi perdis mian valizon. (mee PEHRR-dees MEE-ahn vah-LEE-zohn) I lost my wallet. Mi perdis mian biletujon/monujon. (mee PEHRR-dees MEE-ahn bee-leh-TOO-yohn/moh-NOO-yohn) I'm sick. Mi malsanas. (mee mahl-SAH-nahs) I've been injured. Mi vundiĝis. (mee voon-DEE-jees) I need a doctor. Mi bezonas kuraciston. (mee beh-ZOH-nahs koo-rrah-TSEE-stohn) Can I use your phone? Ĉu mi rajtas uzi vian telefonon? (choo mee RRAI-tahs OO-zee VEE-ahn teh-leh-FOH-nohn?)

Numbers [ edit ]

0 nulo (NOO-loh) 1 unu (OO-noo) 2 du (DOO) 3 tri (TRRI) 4 kvar (KVARR) 5 kvin (KVIN) 6 ses (SES) 7 sep (SEP) 8 ok (OC )as in OCcasion 9 naŭ (NOW) 10 dek (DECK) 20 dudek (DOO-deck) 30 tridek (TRRI-deck) 100 cent (TSENT) 200 ducent (DOO-tsent) 1000 mil (MIL) 2000 du mil (DOO-mil) 1,000,000 miliono (mil-i-ON-o) 4,325 kvarmil tricent dudek kvin (KVARR-mil TRRI-tsent DOO-deck KVIN) 1,446,782 miliono, kvarcent kvardek ses mil, sepcent okdek du (mil-i-ON-o KVARR-deck SES MIL SEP-tsent OC-deck DOO) 2,000,000 du milionoj (DOO mil-i-ON-oy)

Time [ edit ]

now nun (noon) later poste (POHS-teh) before antaŭe (an-TOWAY') morning mateno (maht-TEH-noh) afternoon posttagmezo (pohst-tahg-MEH-zo') evening vespero (vehs-PEH-rroh') night nokto (NOHK-toh')

Clock time [ edit ]

one o'clock AM je la unua horo matene (yeh lah oo-NOO-ah HOH-rroh mah-TEHN-eh) two o'clock AM je la dua horo matene (yeh lah DOO-ah HOH-rroh mah-TEHN-eh) noon tagmezo (tahg-MEH-zoh) one o'clock PM je la unua horo posttagmeze (yeh lah oo-NOO-ah HOH-rroh pohst-tahg-MEH-zeh) two o'clock PM je la dua horo posttagmeze (yeh lah DOO-ah HOH-rroh pohst-tahg-MEH-zeh) two thirty PM je la dua kaj duono posttagmeze (yeh lah DOO-ah kigh doo-OH-noh pohst-tahg-MEH-zeh) two nineteen PM je la dua kaj deknaŭ minutoj posttagmeze (yeh lah DOO-ah kigh DEHCK-now mee-NOOT-oy pohst-tahg-MEH-zeh) midnight noktomezo (nohk-toh-MEH-zoh)

Duration [ edit ]

_____ minute(s) _____ minuto(j) (mee-NOOT-o[h/y]) _____ hour(s) _____ horo(j) (HO-rro[h/y]) _____ day(s) _____ tago(j) (TAH-go[h/y]) _____ week(s) _____ semajno(j) (sehm-IGH-no[h/y]) _____ month(s) _____ monato(j) (moh-NAHT-o[h/y]) _____ year(s) _____ jaro(j) (YAH-rro[h/y])

Days [ edit ]

today hodiaŭ (hoh-DI-ow) yesterday hieraŭ (hee-EH-rrow) tomorrow morgaŭ (MOHRR-gow) this week ĉi tiun semajnon (chee TEE-oon saym-AI-nohn) last week pasintan semajnon (pahs-EEN-tahn saym-AI-nohn) next week venontan semajnon (veh-NOHN-tahn saym-AI-nohn)

Sunday dimanĉo (dee-MAHN-choh) Monday lundo (LOON-doh) Tuesday mardo (MAHRR-doh) Wednesday merkredo (mehrr-KRREH-doh) Thursday ĵaŭdo (JOW-doh) Friday vendredo (vehn-DRREH-doh) Saturday sabato (sah-BAH-toh)

Months [ edit ]

January januaro (yahn-oo-AHRR-oh) February februaro (fehb-oo-AHRR-oh) March marto (MAHRR-toh) April aprilo (ah-PRREE-loh) May majo (MAY-oh) June junio (yoo-NEE-oh) July julio (yoo-LEE-oh) August aŭgusto (ow-GOOS-toh) September septembro (sehp-TEHM-brroh) October oktobro (ohk-TOH-brroh) November novembro (noh-VEHM-brroh) December decembro (deh-TSEHM-brroh)

Full dates are written in year/month/day format (2015.12.13 and so on). Dates written out and consisting of only the month and day are written with the day first in ordinal (first, second, third...) form, "of" afterwards, and then finally the month names. Month and day names do not have to be capitalized, but there is no rule against capitalizing them either. Ordinal numbers are written with an appended "-a" (1-a de januaro, unua de januaro, first of January).

Be careful to include the "de", as for example "10-a januaro" would mean simply "tenth January", as in the January in the tenth year of something.

Colors [ edit ]

black nigra (NEE-grra) blue blua (BLOO-ah) brown bruna (BRROO-nah) gray/grey griza (GRR-eezah) green verda (VEHRR-dah) lime citronkolora (tsee-trrohn-koh-LOHRR-ah) navy (blue) mariste blua (mah-RREES-teh BLOO-ah) orange oranĝa (oh-RRAHN-jah) pink roza (RROH-zah) / rozkolora (rrohz-koh-LOHRR-ah) purple purpura (poorr-POOR-ah') red ruĝa (ROO-jah) turquoise turkiskolora (toorr-kees-koh-LORR-ah) violet viola (vee-OH-lah') / violkolora (vee-ohl-koh-LORR-ah) white blanka (BLAHN-kah) yellow flava (FLAH-vah)

Transportation [ edit ]

Bus and Train [ edit ]

How much is a ticket to _____? Kiom kostas bileto al _____? (KEE-ohm KOHS-tahs bee-LEHT-oh al _____?) One ticket to _____, please. (bus, train) Mi volus bileton al _____. (mee VOH-loos bee-LEHT-ohn al _____?) Where does this train/bus go? Kien ĉi tiu trajno/aŭtobuso iras? (KEE-ehn chee TEE-oo trray-noh/ow-toh-BOOS-oh EE-rras?) Where is the train/bus to _____? Kie estas la trajno/aŭtobuso al _____? (KEE-eh EHS-tahs lah trray-noh/ow-toh-BOOS-oh al _____?) Does this train/bus stop in/at _____? Ĉu tiu trajno/aŭtobuso haltas en/ĉe _____? (choo TEE-oo trray-noh/ow-toh-BOOS-oh HAHL-tahs ehn/cheh _____?) When does the train/bus for _____ leave? Kiam la trajno/aŭtobuso por _____ lasos? (KEE-ahm lah trray-noh/ow-toh-BOOS-oh pohrr _____ LAHS-ohs?) When will this train/bus arrive in _____? Kiam tiu trajno/aŭtobuso alvenos en _____? (KEE-ahm TEE-oo trray-noh/ow-toh-BOOS-oh ahl-VEHN-ohs ehn _____?)

Directions [ edit ]

How do I get to______? Kiel mi povas atingi ______? (KEE-ehl mee POH-vahs ah-TEEN-ghee ______?) ...the train station? ...la trajnan stacion (lah TRRAY-nahn stah-TSEE-ohn) ...the bus station? ...la aǔtobusan stacion (lah ow-toh-BOOS-ahn stah-TSEE-ohn) ...the airport? ...la aerohavenon (la ah-ehrroh-hah-VEHN-ohn) ...downtown? ...urbocentron (oorr-boh-TSEN-trrohn) ...the youth hostel? ...la junularogastejon (lah yoo-noo-lah-rroh-gahs-TEY-yohn) ...the _____ hotel? ... la ______ hotelon (lah ______ hoh-TEH-lohn'?') ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? ...la Usonan/Kanadan/Aǔstralian/Britan konsulejon (lah oo-SOH-nahn/kah-NAH-dahn/ow-strrah-LEE-ahn/BRREE-tahn kohn-soo-LEH-yohn?)

Where are there a lot of... Kie estas multaj? (KEE-eh EHS-tahs MOOL-tigh'?') ...hotels? ...hoteloj (hoh-TEHL-oyn?) ...restaurants? ...restoracioj (rrehs-tohrr-ah-TSEE-oy?) ...bars? ...trinkejoj (trreenk-EH-yoy?) ...sites to see? ...ejoj vidi (AY-yoy VEE-dee) Can you show me on the map? Ĉu vi povas montri al mi sur la mapo? (chu vee POH-vahs MOHN-tree al mee soorr lah MAH-poh?) street strato (STRRAH-toh) Turn left. Turnu maldekstren. (TOORR-noo mahl-DEHKS-trrehn.) Turn right. Turnu dekstren. (TOORR-noo DEHKS-trrehn.) left maldekstren (mahl-DEHKS-trrehn) right dekstren (DEHKS-trrehn) straight ahead rektaantaŭen (rrehk-tah-ahn-TOW-ehn) towards the _____ al la ______ (ahl lah ______) past the _____ preter la ______ (PRREH-terr lah ______) before the _____ antaǔ la ______ (AHN-tow lah) Watch for the _____. Rigardu al la ______. (ree-GAHRRD-oo al lah ______) intersection stratkruciĝo (strraht-krroo-TSEE-joh) north nordo (NOHRR-doh) south sudo (SOO-doh) east oriento (ohrri-EHN-toh') west okcidento (ohk-tsee-DEHN-toh)

Taxi [ edit ]

Taxi! Taksio! (TAHK-sio) Take me to _____, please. Konduku min al ______, bonvolu. (KOHN-dook meen ahl ______, bohn-VOH-loo) How much does it cost to get to ______? Kiom estas la kosto atingi al ______? (KEE-ohm EHS-tahs lah KOH-stoh ah-TEEN-gi ahl ______?) Take me there, please. Okupu min tien, bonvolu. (oh-KOOP-oo meen TEE-ehn, bohn-VOH-loo.)

Lodging [ edit ]

Money [ edit ]

Eating [ edit ]

fruit (pl.) fruktoj (..) apple pomo (..) banana banano (..) pineapple ananaso (..)

vegetables legomoj (..) broccoli brokolo (..) carrot karoto (..) potato terpomo (..)





Dietary requirements [ edit ]

Dietary requirements. Dietaj bezonaĵoj. (..) I am a... Mi estas... (mee EST-ahs) ...vegetarian. ...vegetarano. (veh-geh-tah-RRAH-noh) ...vegan. ...vegetalano. (veh-geh-tah-LAH-noh) / ...vegano. (veh-GAH-noh) ... coeliac. ...celiakiulo. (..) I don't eat... Mi ne manĝas... (mee neh MAHN-jahs) ...meat. ...viandon. (vee-AHN-dohn) ...fish. ...fiŝaĵon. (fee-SHAH-zhohn) ...seafood. ...marmanĝaĵon. (..) ...eggs. ...ovaĵon. (oh-VAH-zhohn) ...dairy products. ...laktaĵon. (lahk-TA-zhohn) ...gluten. ...glutenon. (..) ...wheat products. ...tritikaĵojn. ...nuts. ...nuksojn. (..) ...peanuts. ...arakidojn. (..) ...soy products. ...sojaĵon. (..)

Bars [ edit ]

Bars drinkejoj (drreenk-EH-yoy) Do you serve alcohol? Ĉu vi servas alkoholon? (choo vee SEHRR-vahs ahl-koh-HOL-ohn) Is there table service? Ĉu estas tabla servo? (choo EHS-tahs TAHB-lah SEHRR-voh) A beer/two beers, please. Bieron/Du bierojn, mi petas. (bee-EH-rrohn/doo bee-EH-rroyn, mee PEH-tahs) A glass of red/white wine, please. Glason da ruĝa/blanka vino, mi petas. (GLAH-sohn dah RROO-jah/BLAHN-kah VEE-noh, mee PEH-tahs) A pint, please. Pajnton, mi petas. (pah-EEN-tohn, mee PEH-tahs) A bottle, please. Botelon, mi petas. (boh-TEH-lohn, mee PEH-tahs) _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. ______ kaj ______, mi petas (______ kigh ______, mee PEH-tahs') whiskey viskio (vees-KEE-oh) vodka vodko (VOHD-koh) rum rumo (RROO-moh) water akvo (AHK-voh) club soda seltersakvo (sehl-tehrr-SAHK-voh) tonic water tonikakvo (toh-neek-AHK-voh) orange juice oranĝa suko (oh-RRAN-jah SOO-koh) Coke (soda) koakso/CocaCola (koh-AHK-soh/koh-kah-KOH-lah) Do you have any bar snacks? Ĉu vi havas baromanĝetojn? (choo vee HAH-vahs bah-rroh-mahn-JEHT-oyn) One more, please. Alian, mi petas. (ah-LEE-ahn bohn-VOH-loo) Another round, please. Alian rondon, mi petas. (ah-LEE-ahn RROHN-dohn, mee PEH-tahs) When is closing time? Kiam estas fermtempo? (KEE-ahm EHS-tahs fehrrm-TEHM-poh) Cheers! Huraas!/Je via sano! (Lit. To your health) (hoorr-AH-ahs/yeh VEE-ah SAH-noh)

Shopping [ edit ]

Do you have this in my size? Ĉu vi havas ĉi tiun en mia grandeco? (choo vee HAH-vas chee TEE-oon ehn MEE-ah grrahn-DEHTS-oh) How much is in this? Kiom estas en ĉi tio? (KEE-ohm EHS-tahs ehn chee TEE-oon) How much does this cost? Kiom kostas ĉi tio? ("KEE-ohm KOH-stahs chee TEE-oh") That's too expensive. Tio estas tro altekosta. (TEE-oh EHS-tahs trroh ahl-teh-KOHS-tah) Would you take _____? Ĉu vi prenus ______? (choo vee PREH-noos ______) expensive kara (KAH-rrah) cheap malkara (mahl-KAH-rrah) I can't afford it. Mi ne povas pagi la koston de ĝi. (mee neh POH-vahs PAH-gee lah KOHS-tohn deh jee) I don't want it. Mi ne volas ĝin. (mee neh POH-vahs jeen) You're cheating me. Vi trompas min. (vee TROHM-pas meen) I'm not interested. Mi malinteresiĝas. (mee mahl-een-teh-rehs-EE-jahs) OK, I'll buy it. Konsenite, mi aĉetos ĝin. (kohn-sehn-EET-eh, mee ah-CHEH-tohs jeen) Can I have a bag? Ĉu mi rajtas havi sakon? (choo mee RIGH-tahs HAH-vee SAHK-ohn) Do you ship (overseas)? Ĉu vi ekspedas (eksterlanden)? (coo vee ehk-SPEHD-ahs (ehk-stehrr-LAHN-dehn)) I need... Mi bezonas... (mee beh-ZOHN-ahs) ...toothpaste. ...dentpaston. (dehnt-PAHS-tohn) ...a toothbrush. ...dentbroson. (dehnt-BRROH-sohn) ...tampons. ...tamponojn. (tahm-POHN-oyn) ...soap. ...sapon. (SAH-pohn) ...shampoo. ...ŝampuon. (shahm-POO-ohn) ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) ...dolortrankvilignon. (doh-lohrr-trrahnk-veel-EEG-nohn) ...cold medicine. ...malvarmumkuracilon. (mahl-vahrr-moom-koorr-ahts-EEL-ohn) ...stomach medicine. ...stomakkuracilon. (stoh-mahk-koorr-ahts-EEL-ohn) ...a razor. ...razilon. (rraz-EEL-ohn) ...an umbrella. ...pluvombrelon. (ploov-ohm-BRREH-lohn) ...sunblock lotion. ...sunbrunŝmiraĵon. (soon-brroon-shmeer-AH-john) ...a postcard. ...poŝtkarton. (pohsht-KAHRR-tohn) ...postage stamps. ...poŝtmarkojn. (pohsht-MAHRR-koyn) ...batteries. ...bateriojn. (bah-tehrr-EE-oyn) ...writing paper. ...skribpaperon. (skrreeb-PAHP-ehrrohn) ...a pen. ...plumon. (PLOO-mohn) ...English-language books. ...Anglalingvajn librojn. (ahng-lah-LEENG-vayn LEEB-rroyn) ...English-language magazines. ...Anglalingvajn revuojn. (ahng-lah-LEENG-vayn rrehv-OO-oyn) ...an English-language newspaper. ...Anglalingvan gazeton. (ahng-lah-LEENG-vahn gah-ZEH-tohn) ...an English-Esperanto dictionary. ...Anglaesperantan Vortaron. (ahng-lah-ehs-pehrr-AHN-tahn voh-TAH-rrohn)

Driving [ edit ]

Authority [ edit ]