Greetings and politeness in Esperanto
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. 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 11 Esperanto phrases in this lesson
- Salutonsah-LOO-ton
- Hello
- Bonan matenonBOH-nan mah-TEH-non
- Good morning
- Bonan vesperonBOH-nan ves-PEH-ron
- Good evening
- Ĝis la revidoZHEES lah reh-VEE-doh
- Goodbye
- Ĝisjees
- See you
- Bonvolubon-VOH-loo
- Please
- DankonDAN-kon
- Thank you
- Ne dankindeneh dan-KEEN-deh
- You're welcome
- Mi bedaŭrasmee beh-DOW-ras
- Sorry
- Pardonu minpar-DOH-noo meen
- Excuse me
- Estas plezuro koni vinES-tas pleh-ZOO-roh KOH-nee veen
- Nice to meet you
The standard formal greeting, from the root salut- (greeting). Always stressed on the first syllable. Used for formal introductions and meetings.
Literally "good morning" with grammatical endings. Used until around midday. The -n is the accusative case marker, essential in Esperanto.
The -n ending marks the object, as in all the greetings.
Literally "until the meeting again". The ĝ is Esperanto's special letter, pronounced like the j in English "measure". The most poetic goodbye.
Short for ĝis la revido, and what friends say. Ĝis baldaŭ (jees BAL-dow) means see you soon.
Literally "kindly wish" or "be so good as to". Built from bon (good) and voli (to wish). Used before requests: "Bonvolu sidi" (please sit).
The simple thanks, used in all contexts from casual to formal. Danko is the noun, -n is the accusative marker that makes it an exclamation.
Literally "not necessary to thank". The -inde suffix means worthy or deserving. A polite deflection of thanks in Esperanto culture.
Literally "I regret", the real apology.
Literally "forgive me". Pardoni is the infinitive, pardonu is the second person imperative. Used for apologies and polite interruptions.
Literally "it is a pleasure to know you".