Language/Esperanto/Grammar/How-to-Use-Be
Hi Esperanto learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will dive into how to use the verb "be" in Esperanto. As an Esperanto language teacher for over 20 years, I believe understanding the usage of "be" is key to forming proper sentences in this language, which has no irregularities or exceptions! So, let's get started!
Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: PREFIXES & PREPOSITIONS.
What is the Verb "Be" in Esperanto?[edit | edit source]
The verb "be" in Esperanto is "esti". The usage is similar to English, as it is used to link subjects to their descriptions or states.
Present Tense[edit | edit source]
In Esperanto, we have only one present tense, which is used regardless of the subject. To use "be" in the present tense, we simply conjugate "esti" as follows:
Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Mi estas | mee EH-stahs | I am |
Vi estas | vee EH-stahs | You are (singular) |
Li/Ŝi/Ĝi estas | lee/SHEE/JEE EH-stahs | He/She/It is |
Ni estas | nee EH-stahs | We are |
Vi estas | vee EH-stahs | You are (plural) |
Ili estas | EE-lee EH-stahs | They are |
Example dialogue:
- Person 1: Mi estas felicxa. (I am happy.)
- Person 2: Li ankaŭ estas felicxa. (He is also happy.)
Past Tense[edit | edit source]
In Esperanto, we have only one past tense. To use "be" in the past tense, we simply add "-is" to "esti". For example:
Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Mi estis | mee EHS-teess | I was |
Vi estis | vee EHS-teess | You were (singular) |
Li/Ŝi/Ĝi estis | lee/SHEE/JEE EHS-teess | He/She/It was |
Ni estis | nee EHS-teess | We were |
Vi estis | vee EHS-teess | You were (plural) |
Ili estis | EE-lee EHS-teess | They were |
Example dialogue:
- Person 1: Mi estis en la teatro hieraŭ. (I was at the theater yesterday.)
- Person 2: Kie li estis? (Where was he?)
Future Tense[edit | edit source]
In Esperanto, we use the present tense to indicate future actions. To form the future tense with “be," we use the present tense of the auxiliary verb "iros" (to go) before "esti". We can also use the word "helpos" (to help) instead of "iros". For example:
Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Mi iros esti | mee EE-rohs EH-stee | I will be |
Vi iros esti | vee EE-rohs EH-stee | You will be (singular) |
Li/Ŝi/Ĝi iros esti | lee/SHEE/JEE EE-rohs EH-stee | He/She/It will be |
Ni iros esti | nee EE-rohs EH-stee | We will be |
Vi iros esti | vee EE-rohs EH-stee | You will be (plural) |
Ili iros esti | EE-lee EE-rohs EH-stee | They will be |
Example dialogue:
- Person 1: Kion vi faros morgaŭ? (What will you do tomorrow?)
- Person 2: Mi iros esti kun miaj amikoj. (I will be with my friends.)
Imperatives[edit | edit source]
In Esperanto, we use the imperative mood to give commands or directions. To use "be" in the imperative mood, we simply use "estu" for the singular and "estu" for the plural. For example:
Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Estu trankvila! | EH-stoo trahnk-VEE-lah | Be calm! |
Estu laŭta! | EH-stoo LAH-oo-tah | Be loud! |
Estu subtena! | EH-stoo sooB-TEH-nah | Be supportive! |
Example dialogue:
- Person 1: Kiam ili venu, kion mi faru? (What should I do when they arrive?)
- Person 2: Estu pretaj por festi ilin! (Be ready to celebrate them!)
Summary[edit | edit source]
In summary, the verb "be" in Esperanto is "esti". We only have one present and past tense and use the present tense to indicate future actions. For the imperative mood, we use "estu". Remember that the usage of "be" is key to forming proper sentences in Esperanto. Practice makes perfect, so keep practicing!
To improve your Esperanto Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- PREFIXES
- Nouns
- Prefixe MAL— and Suffixe —IN
- Gender
- Personal pronouns
- Possessive Case in Esperanto
- PREPOSITIONS
- THE ACCUSATIVE
- Negation
- THE INTERROGATIVE
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Esperanto/Grammar Rules - Wikiversity
- Esperanto grammar - Wikipedia
- The Sixteen Rules of Esperanto Grammar