Yes, no and the essentials in Esperanto
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Esperanto words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Esperanto phrases in this lesson
- Jesyes
- Yes
- Neneh
- No
- BoneBOH-neh
- Okay
- Mi ne komprenasmee neh kom-PREH-nas
- I don't understand
- Ĉu vi parolas la anglan?CHOO vee pah-ROH-las lah AHN-glahn
- Do you speak English?
- Bonvolu ripetibon-VOH-loo ree-PEH-tee
- Can you repeat that?
- Malrapide, bonvolumal-rah-PEE-deh bon-VOH-loo
- Slowly, please
- Kio estas tio?KEE-oh ES-tas TEE-oh
- What is this?
- Mi bezonas...mee beh-ZOH-nas
- I need...
- Ĉu vi povas helpi min?choo vee POH-vas HEL-pee meen
- Can you help me?
Pronounced exactly like English "yes". Some Esperantists use "jeso" (the noun form) but jes is standard.
The single most used word in Esperanto after articles. Also used as a prefix: malamo (hate) is literally ne-amo (not-love).
Literally "well" or "good" as an adverb. The neutral, easy agreement to a small request or statement.
Literally "I do not understand". Kompren- (to understand) is a common word. Present tense is simply -as ending for all persons.
Ĉu introduces yes/no questions. Vi is the formal you. Paroli (to speak) takes the language in accusative (-n). Regular conjugation.
Mal- flips the meaning: rapide is quickly, malrapide slowly.