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E S P E R A N T O C O U R S E
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Lesson Four
Now let's look at statements, questions, and answers:
A statement: La pano estas bruna.
The bread is brown.
A question: Ĉu la pano estas bruna?
Is the bread brown?
The answer: (a) Jes, la pano estas bruna.
(b) Ne, la pano ne estas bruna, ĝi estas blanka.
Note: Every question is based on a statement; we identify that statement,
placing the 'doubting' word ĉu (literally, 'whether') in front, and then
we are asking "Is this true?" Also note that the word order in Esperanto
is not changed; only the word 'ĉu' is placed in front of the statement.
English question: Will the boys sell the cake?
Underlying statement: (The boys will sell the cake.)
(La knaboj vendos la kukon.)
Esperanto question: Ĉu la knaboj vendos la kukon?
All 'yes-or-no' questions are handled in the same way.
__________________________ extract from here ____________________________
Ekzercoj, Leciono Kvar (parto unu)
Change the following statements into questions:
Mia filo forgesis la teon. ->
Lia patro faras panon. ->
La tago estas griza. ->
__________________________ extract to here ____________________________
In the first three lessons, you have learned how to write simple statements
correctly, and now know how to make questions and give answers. As soon as
you have learned all the sounds of Esperanto (detailed, as best as possible
in writing, see below) we can start in on conversations, in Lesson Five.
(Remember to complete the exercises at the bottom.)
The Esperanto alphabet:
a b c ĉ d e f g ĝ h ĥ i j ĵ k l m n o p r s ŝ t u ŭ v z
Note that the names of the letters (used when spelling aloud, etc.)
are a, bo, co, ĉo, do, e, fo, go, ĝo, ho, ĥo, i, etc. That is, the
consonants get an 'o' after them, and the name of each vowel is the
sound of the vowel itself. Note that "ŭo" is pronounced sort of like
English 'wo'.
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet; 28 in Esperanto. In
Esperanto there is no q, w, x, or y. In Esperanto there are 6 letters not
found in English (all 6 have accent marks): ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ [all
circumflexes], and ŭ [a u-breve].
The Esperanto letters 'j' and 'ŭ' are not vowels and can combine with real
vowels (a, e, i, o, and u) to make 'vowel glides' which must be learned as
separate sounds (below).
Pronunciation Guide
Remember, in Esperanto: one letter - one sound. No exceptions.
Vowel Sounds (accented/emphasized vowels are capitalized)
a as in Ma, father: blANka sAna grAnda vArma
e as in send, met: bEla plEna vErda pEti
i as in me, three: vIvi Ami trInki fIlo
o as in more, or: Ovo dOmo kIo nOva
u as in two, soon: Unu plUmo sUno butIko
Consonant Sounds (mainly as in English, except:)
c pronounced 'ts' in nests: dAnco leciOno bicIklo
ĉ pronounced 'ch'in church: ĉAmbro sandvIĉo ĉokolAdo
g pronounced 'g' in great: sagEto gustUmi geografIo
ĝ pronounced 'g' in George: mAnĝi lOĝi sEĝo
ĥ pronounced 'ch'in Bach: jAĥto ĥOro Eĥo
j pronounced 'y' in yet: jEs jAro jUna
ĵ pronounced 's' in leisure: ĵurnAlo teatrAĵo ĵalUzo
ŝ pronounced 'sh'in shoe: ŝAti pOŝo ŝUo
ŭ is used most often in the combination 'aŭ' or 'eŭ' (otherwise it has a
'w' sound, as in weather).
Remember: All sounds presented in this Pronunciation Guide are
approximations. They are the closest approximations for North American
English-speakers.
Vowel Glides (diphthongs). The following combinations between a vowel (a,
e, o, u) and 'j' or 'ŭ' make one sound:
aj pronounced as 'eye': mAjo kAj semAjno
oj pronounced as in 'boy': knAboj vojAĝi ĝOjo
ej pronounced as in 'they': plEj mEjlo lernEjo
uj pronounced 'oo-ee' (quickly) tUj AnglUjo monUjo
aŭ pronounced as in 'cow': nAŬ Antaŭ ĵAŬdo
eŭ pronounced as in 'wayward': EŭrOpo neŭtrAla EŭklIdo
In all the examples above, the vowel of the stressed (or accented) syllable
has been capitalized. This follows the rule without exception that every
word in Esperanto is stressed on the next-to-last syllable.
Here is a list of words (and translations) that represent sounds in
Esperanto [not just those covered above]. Practice them carefully and your
pronunciation will get better and better.
Anglujo England lernejo school
antaŭ before majo May
aĉeti to buy manĝi to eat
biciklo bicycle mejlo mile
ĉambro room monujo purse
ĉokolado chocolate neŭtrala neutral
danco dance ovo egg
domo house plej most...
eĥo echo plena full
Eŭropo Europe poŝo pocket
Eŭklido Euclid sageto dart
geografio geography sandviĉo sandwich
gustumi to taste seĝo seat, chair
ĝojo joy suno sun
ĥoro choir ŝati to like
jaĉto yacht ŝuo shoe
juna young teatraĵo (theatrical) play
ĵaluzo jealousy tuj immediately
ĵaŭdo Thursday vojaĝi to travel
ĵurnalo newspaper
kio what (thing)
leciono lesson best advice: practice! practice!
libro book practice!
loĝi to reside
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Ekzercoj, Leciono Kvar (parto du)
(translate, but don't answer!)
1. Is father making a cake?
2. Did the son forget the milk?
3. Will father sell the cakes?
4. Does a healthy boy drink warm milk?
5. Will the daughter eat a sandwich?
6. Did the new teacher forget your sugar?
7. Do they sell tea and coffee?
8. Did the sick girl write badly?
9. Is he healthy?
10. Are seven days one week?
Answer in Esperanto; use complete sentences, not just jes or ne.
11. Is milk white?
12. Is water dry?
13. Is the sun warm?
14. Is your mother a man?
15. Are you wearing an empty shoe?
16. Do two and two make four? [Use "estas"]
17. Do you eat water?
18. Is coffee blue?
19. Are seven days one week?
20. Do you drink cakes?
(Sorry about the silly questions, but the answers are easy.)
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On to Lesson 5!
Or go back to the index for other lessons.