Part II: Potentially Troublesome Words

This list includes various words and expressions that can be a potential source of confusion or embarrassment for Esperantists whose native language is English.

• In some cases they are falsaj amikoj = “false friends,” that is, words with different meanings from their English cognates. For example, demandi means “to ask, inquire,” not “to demand.”
• In other cases they are so-called paronimoj, i.e., words that are quite similar to each other in form but differ in meaning or shade of meaning. For example pesi means “to weigh” in the sense of weighing an object, but pezi means “to weigh” in the sense of weighing such and such a number of kilograms.
• Finally, some of the items included are simply words that have given me trouble at one time or another or that seem interesting.

*-The most accessible source of Zamenhof’s usage of particular words is Nomura Rihej 1987 Zamenhofa ekzemplaro: esprimoj cititaj el la ĉefaj verkoj de d-ro L.L. Zamenhof. Provizora eldono. Nagoya: Nagoya Esperanto-Centro.

In English translations I have sought to make meaning contrasts very clear and to be colloquial, not necessarily to follow the Esperanto literally. A raised letter Z after an example indicates that it comes from the writings of Zamenhof, although the quotation has often been abbreviated here. In many cases such examples are cited in the Plena Ilustrita Vortaro.* The symbol ~ means “alternates with.”

The page is designed to encourage random browsing, frequently presenting blocks of words together, but it is well indexed with marginal links to provide efficient searches for particular entries.

a ∧ ab ∨

abstrakto = abstraction. See resumo

a ∧ ad ∨

adepto = initiate.
Not to be confused with:

lerta = quick to learn.

lertulo = a quick learner, clever person.

Ŝi estas adepto de la Sekreta Mistera Antikva Societo “Zameg’”.
= She was an initiate of the Secret Mysterious Ancient Society “Zameg’.”

Li estas tre lerta lernanto de Esperanto.
= He is a very adept student of Esperanto.

adiaŭ = goodbye.
The implication is that one is leaving forever or at least for a very long time. See Ĝis la revido.

*-The word adolto = remains rare and is easily misunderstood. More common terms are plenkreskulo = plenaĝulo = grown-up.

adolto = adult.*
Not to be confused with:

adulto = adultery.

adulto = adultery.
Not to be confused with:

plenkreskulo = adult, grown-up.

plenaĝulo = adult.

adolto = adult (rare)*

Li adultis kun la edzino de sia amiko.
= He committed adultery with his friend’s wife.

Vi estas nun plenaĝulo; vi ne rajtas plu prizorgi idealismon, nur monon.
= You’re an adult now; you’ve no right to concern yourself with idealism any more, only money.

Panjo, mi ankoraŭ ne estas plenkreskulo; mi rajtas ludi!
= Mommy, I’m still not a grown-up; I’m entitled to play!

a ∧ af ∨

afekcii = to have an emotional impact on. See afekti.

*-English usage is potentially confusing here:

• afféct (verb) = have an effect on or to pretend to something;
• áffect (noun) = an emotion (technical term in psychology) (hence, "affected," i.e., showing exaggerated emotion);
• efféct (verb) = to bring about, to cause;
• efféct (noun) = a result.

afekti = to be affected*, put on airs; pretend.
Not to be confused with:

afekcii = to have an emotional impact on; (of disease) to affect the health of. Hence: afekcio = a sudden change of emotion.

influi = to affect, influence.

koncerni = to concern, relate to, affect.

rilati = to be connected to, related to, entailed by (+ al).

(kor)tuŝi = to have an emotional impact on.

emocio = an emotion, (an) affect.

efektivigi = to bring about, to effect.

rezulto = a result, an effect.

Ŝi celas afekti klerecon sed ne parolas Esperanton!
= She tries to pretend she’s educated, but she doesn’t speak Esperanto!

Li afektis ĉiutage antaŭ la spegulo ĝis la prezento estis efika.
= He put on airs before the mirror each day till the presentation was effective.

La malsano nun afekcias ankaŭ lian hepaton.
= The disease is now affecting his liver too.

Pro fortaj afekcioj li ne plu povis instrui Esperantan verkadon.
= Because of his mood shifts he could no longer teach Esperanto composition.

See also efektiva.

afero = matter, affair, thing.
Esperanto uses afero much as English uses “thing” when the referent is unspecified. Despite the similarity to English “affair,” the Esperanto word can also refer to physical objects.

Mi devas riparigi certan aferon.
= I have to get a certain thing repaired.

Lia eksedziĝo estas delikata afero.
= His divorce is a delicate matter.

Lasu viajn aferojn en la blua ĉambro, ĉar tie mankas fantomoj.
= Leave your things in the blue room, since there’re no ghosts there.

Pri ŝiaj personaj fiaferoj mi nenion scias.
= I know nothing of her sordid personal affairs.

Sometimes the Esperanto movement is referred to as la Afero. This apparently derives from the more ambiguous referent of the phrase in a portion of a poem by Zamenhof that was eventually adopted as the anthem of the Esperanto movement:

Sub la sankta signo de l’Espero kolektiĝas pacaj batalantoj, kaj rapide kreskas la afero per laboro de la Esperantoj.

Under the sacred sign of Hope the peaceful warriors assemble, and the afero grows rapidly through the work of those who Hope.

See also objekto.

afiŝo = poster. See plato.

a ∧ ag ∨

agnoski = to recognize (by official declaration). See also rekoni.
Not to be confused with:

agnostika = agnostic.

agnostika = agnostic. See agnoski.

agonio = death-throes.

Ĉiu pentraĵo montris la agonion de Kristo.
= Each painting showed the passion of Christ.

Ĉu agonio estas ĉiam dolorega?
= Is dying always very painful?

See also angoro. .

a ∧ ak ∨

akcento = stress on a syllable; musical accent.
Not to be confused with:

akĉento = accent (of a certain dialect region).

En Esperanto la akcento estas ĉiam sur la antaŭlasta silabo.^z
= In Esperanto the accent is always on the second-to-the-last syllable.

Ŝia stranga usona akĉento en Esperanto baldaŭ lacigis la aŭskultantojn.
= Her strange American accent in Esperanto soon exhausted the listeners.

akcepto = reception. See festi.

akĉento = accent. See akcento.

akrido = locust. See lokusto.

aktuala = topical, present-day. See efektiva.

akurata = punctual, prompt.
Not to be confused with:

ĝusta = accurate, correct, right.

preciza = precise, accurate.

senerara = accurate, without errors.

Ĉu vi do postulas monon? Ĝuste.
= So are you then demanding money? Exactly.

Li ĉiam estas precize akurata, sed li faras multegajn erarojn.
= He is always exactly on time, but he makes loads of errors.

Li venis je la tria akurate, sed kun malĝusta libro.
= He came exactly at three, but with the wrong book.

See also ĝusta.

a ∧ al ∨

al = to, toward. See also fare de.

alero = awning, eave, or other roof overhang. See halo.

alineo = paragraph (in ordinary text). See paragrafo.

alo = the side or wing of something. See halo.

aludi = speak (of), allude (to). See referi.

a ∧ am ∨

amaso = mass, pile, crowd. See maso.

ambaŭ = both.
As in English, this may be used as an adverb or pronoun or as though modifying a noun:

La ursoj ambaŭ bone dormis.
= The bears both slept well.

Ambaŭ ursoj bone dormis.
= Both bears slept well.

Ambaŭ bone dormis
= Both slept well.

Anĝeloj ilin ŝirmis ambaŭflanke.
= Angels sheltered them on either side.

ampleksa = bulky, large. See bulko.

amuzi = to amuse (someone). Hence: amuziĝi = to be entertained, amuza = entertaining.

The contrasts among these words are caused in part by underlying characteristics of the roots.
Amuza means “funny” in the sense of “amusing.” “Funny” in the sense of “ridiculous” or “worthy of mockery” is ridinda (from ridi = “to laugh”). Most of us would like to think we are amuzaj; we would prefer to think we are not ridindaj. “Funny” in the sense of “strange” (as in “it’s a funny thing that she didn’t come”) is stranga or kurioza.

Contrast: enua, tedi, kurioza.

a ∧ an ∨

*-Caution: Although it refers to worry, angor- does not work very gracefully as a verb. The English expression “Don’t worry!” gets rendered variously as ne zorgu, ne ĝeniĝu, ne ĉagreniĝu, ne estu maltrankvila, etc., all of which seem a bit too English. Restu trankvila is more colloquially Esperanto. The ominously optimistic expression of International Broken English “No problem!” finds an appropriate equivalent in the equally ominous Senprobleme!

angoro = anxiety (clinical or general), anguish, agony.*
Not to be confused with:

kolero = anger.

doloro = pain (physical or psychological).

Kiam li ekŝoforis mian aŭton mi sentis angoron.
= When he set out driving my car, I felt anxiety.

Kiam li difektis mian aŭtomobilon mi sentis koleron.
= When he wrecked my car, I felt rage.

La milito kaŭzis al ili teruran angoron.
= The war caused them terrible anguish.

Mi sentis dentodoloron tiun tagon kaj ne kapablis labori.
= I had a toothache that day and couldn’t work.

See also agonio, dolori.

ankoraŭ = still. Hence: Ankoraŭ ne = “not yet.”

Contrast jam = “already.” (Hence: Ne jam = "not yet," although this is a rare usage.) In most cases, the usage of jam and ankoraŭ is identical with that of their English translations, but speakers from different language backgrounds sometimes cut the terrain a little differently, especially with negative words, so you should be prepared for variation even in published works. (Zamenhof himself was inconsistent.)

See also ekde.

Ĉiu ankoraŭ memoras ŝian prelegon.
= Everyone still remembers her speech.

Li ankoraŭ restas en Senegalio
= He is still staying in Senegal.

Li ankoraŭ ne venis.
= He has not come yet. = He still has not come.

Li ankoraŭ ne komprenas nian sistemon de impostoj. Ankaŭ mi ne!
= He still doesn’t understand our tax system. Nor do I!

Ŝi ankoraŭ ne loĝas en Japanio.
= She does not yet live in Japan.

Li jam venis.
= He already came.

Ŝi jam studis la japanan kiam ŝi renkontis sian estontan japanan edzon.
= She had already studied Japanese when she met her future Japanese husband.

Ŝi jam ne loĝas en Japanio.
= She no longer lives in Japan.

Ŝi ne jam loĝas en Japanio.
= She does not yet live in Japan.

anstataŭ = instead of. Hence: anstataŭi and anstataŭigi:

anstataŭi = to act in place of, take the place of, replace

Ŝi anstataŭos min en la kunveno.
= She’ll take my place in the meeting.

Nenio povas anstataŭi la sanon.
= Nothing can replace health!

anstataŭigi = to replace (something) with (something)

Ni anstataŭigos la sikomorojn per cedroj.
= We’ll replace the sycamores with cedars.

Caution: As in other cases where a transitive verb has -ig- added to it, either the displaced or the stand-in can be the direct object of anstataŭigi!

La ĵonglisto anstataŭis la nudan dancistinon.
= The juggler replaced the nude dancer.

La direktoro anstataŭigis la nudan dancistinon (per la ĵonglisto).
= The director replaced the nude dancer (with the juggler).

La direktoro anstataŭigis la ĵongliston (al/anstataŭ la nuda dancistino).
= The director substituted the juggler (for the nude dancer).

As a preposition, anstataŭ of course takes an object with no accusative endings. However in some cases what follows is actually an infinitive and its object (naturally with an accusative ending). The infinitive may be left out, leaving the accusative:

Ŝi trinkos lakton anstataŭ kafo.
= She’ll drink milk instead of coffee.

Ŝi trinkos lakton anstataŭ trinki kafon.
= She’ll drink milk instead of drinking coffee.

Ŝi trinkos lakton anstataŭ kafon.
= She’ll drink milk instead of [drinking] coffee.

It usually makes little difference whether the accusative is left in place or not, but occasionally it can remove ambiguity:

La lupo manĝos vin anstataŭ mi.
= The wolf will eat you instead of me. (Instead of eating me or instead of my eating you?)

La lupo manĝos vin anstataŭ min.
= The wolf will eat you instead of [eating] me.

antaŭ = before, in front of; ago.
Antaŭ tri tagoj = “three days ago.”

When antaŭ refers to space and means “in front of”; the opposite is malantaŭ = “behind”; when antaŭ refers to time and means “before,” the specialized word post = “after” is its opposite.

La preĝejo estas malantaŭ la remizo.
= The church is behind the garage.

Vi iru antaŭ mi.
= You go ahead of me.

Mi iris malantaŭ li.
= I went behind him.

Mi iris post li.
= I went after he did.

Post fierinda historio, subite malaperis la kolegio Radcliffe.
= After a proud history, suddenly Radcliffe College disappeared.

Post kiam ŝi foriris, ĉiu ekridegis.
= After she left, everyone burst out laughing.

Nun estas tri minutoj post la kvara. = It’s now 4:03.

*-It would be logical to say post ol, but Slavic languages do not do it that way, and Zamenhof’s instincts apparently led him to follow the Slavic languages without thinking much about it. Post ol keeps getting reïnvented on the model of antaŭ ol, but speakers of Slavic languages, in my experience, tend to find post ol surprisingly confusing. Because it is logical for most other Esperantists, it may someday become standard. Meanwhile, one is better advised to stick with post kiam.

When antaŭ is used before a verb or clause, it becomes antaŭ ol. The ol is not ordinarily used after post in the same circumstances. Before verbs or clauses (that is, when used as conjunctions) post becomes post kiam.*

antaŭ ol eniri la domon
= before going into the house

antaŭ ol li eniris la domon
= before he went into the house.

Infero frostiĝos antaŭ ol mi loĝos kun vi, sentaŭgulo!.
= Hell will freeze over before I live with you, you creep!

Mi jam estis esperantisto antaŭ ol Esperanto estis mojosa.
= I was already an esperantist before Esperanto was cool.

post kiam eniri la domon
= after going into the house

post kiam li eniris la domon
= after he went into the house

Li murdis ŝin post kiam ŝi mordis lin.
= He murdered her after she bit him.

a ∧ ap ∨

aparato = device, apparatus. See devizo.

apenaŭ = barely, just. See ĝusta.

apologio = formal justification.
Not to be confused with:

pardonpeto = apology.

Ŝi prezentis nenian apologion por sia rimarkebla agado.
= She presented no justification for her remarkable activity.

Li estis apologisto por la monarkio.
= He was an apologist for the monarchy.

Kio diable?! Ho, mi pardonpetas, sinjorino.
= What the devil? Whoops, I beg your pardon, madam!

Ŝi petis la pardonon de sia edzo.
= She asked her husband’s pardon.

See argumento.

a ∧ ar ∨

aranĝi = arrange, dispose. See disponi.

argano = drilling hoist, crane (machine). See krano.

argilo = mud.
Not to be confused with:

arĝento = silver.

La reĝo konstruigis belegan palacon el arĝento, sed malamikoj detruis ĝin kaj forŝtelis la arĝenton.
= The king had a magnificent palace constructed of silver, but enemies destroyed it and stole the silver.

La kamparano konstruis sian kabanaĉon el argilo, kaj tie li loĝas ankoraŭ.
= The peasant built his miserable hut of mud, and he lives there still.

argumento= point put forward.
Not to be confused with:

*-Perhaps under the influence of French, sometimes diskuto can also mean “argument” in addition to meaning “discussion.”

disputo = argument, disagreement*

La malesperantisto bone argumentis, ke la mondo estas plata, kaj li konvinkis ĉiun.
= The anti-Esperantist argued well that the world was flat, and he convinced everyone.

Neniu disputis kun li.
= Nobody disagreed with him.

See also: apologio = formal justification

arĝento = silver. See argilo

a ∧ as ∨

aserti = assert, claim. See pretendi.

asfalto = pitch, asphalt, tar. See piĉo.

aspekti = look, appear (in the sense of how one looks to others).
Aspekti normally takes an adverb as complement.

Ŝi aspektis malgaje.
= She looked sad.

Zamenhof sometimes used an adjective rather than an adverb after aspekti if the complement was itself modified by an adverb:

Vi aspektas tiel vire maltima!^z
= You appear so manfully unafraid!

It is especially usual to use aspekti with kiel = “like” and kvazaŭ = “as though”:

Vi aspektas kiel bela rozo, mia kara.
= You look like a beautiful rose, my dear.

Vi aspektas kvazaŭ vi vidis fantomon.
= You look as though you have seen a ghost.

a ∧ at ∨

atencii = to assault. Hence: sexatenci = to rape (= perforti)
See atendi.

atendi = to await, to wait for; to expect.
Not to be confused with:

ĉeesti = attend.

atenti = pay attention to

atenci = to assault

Dum du horoj ŝi atendis la aŭtobuson por ĉeesti la kunvenon.
= She waited for the bus for two hours to attend the meeting.

Ni ĉiutage atendis pakaĵon de Amazon, sed preteratentis tion, ke ni ankoraŭ ne mendis ĝin.
= We waited everyday for a parcel from Amazon, but overlooked the fact that we still had not ordered it.

Atentu, ke vi ne mistrafu la flugon.
= Be careful not to miss the flight.

Ribeloj atencis boaton da turistoj kaj en sekundoj detruis la turisman industrion.
= Rebels assaulted a boatload of tourists and in seconds destroyed the tourist industry.

Dum la aliaj familianoj fermokule preĝdankis Dion pro la manĝo, Daĉjeto atencis la deserton.
= As the other family members said grace with their eyes shut, Little Davey attacked the dessert.

See also: atenti = pay attention

atenti = pay attention to. Hence: atentigi = remark, call someone’s attention to (pri) something; malatenti = preteratenti = to ignore; atentema = attentive.
See rimarki. Contrast: atendi.

Dum mi forestis, mia edzo malatentis la ĝardenon.
= While I was away, my husband ignored the garden.

Daĉjeto laŭte kaj embarase atentigis ŝin, ke la vento estas ekforblovonta ŝian perukon.
= Little Davey loudly and embarrassingly warned her that the wind was about to blow her wig away.

Atentu pri la interspaco.
= Mind the gap.

Politika partio estas alianco inter la neatentemaj kaj la senskrupulaj.
= A political party is an an alliance between the inattentive and the unscrupulous.

See: atendi.

a ∧ aŭ ∨

*-An aŭreolo radiates from the head of a sainted personage represented in art. A similar radiance from the body is a nimbo.

aŭreolo = halo (over a head).* See halo.

aŭ…aŭ… = either…or…

Ŝi venos aŭ morgaŭ aŭ sabaton.
= She’s coming either tomorrow or Saturday.

Li aŭ kantos aŭ ludos la gurdon, eble ambaŭ! Savu nin sanktuloj!
= He’ll either sing or play the hurdy-gurdy, maybe both! Saints preserve us!

Aŭ vi aŭ mi devos kapti Daĉjeton kaj enlitigi lin.
= Either you or I must catch Little Davey and put him to bed.

a ∧ av ∨

aveno = oats (plant or crop).
Not to be confused with:

avenfloko = a flake of milled oatmeal, hence: avenflokoj = uncooked oatmeal.

avengrio = avenkaĉo = cooked oatmeal, gruel.

averti = to warn.
Not to be confused with:

forturni= to avert, direct away.

eviti = to avoid.

Ni avertu ĉiun, ke venos la pluvego!
= Let’s warn everyone that the deluge will come!

Ni ne kapablos forturni la pluvegon!
= We won’t be able to avert the deluge!

Ili penos eviti la pluvegon per vojaĝo al la dezerto!
= They’ll try to escape the deluge by a trip to the desert!

a ∧ az ∨

azilo = asylum. (As in English, the word is used both for places for refugees or the associated state, and for institutions providing care for people who are crazy, ailing, and/or elderly. It usefully translates the American euphemism “retirement community.”)

Ili petis azilon ĉe moskeo.
= They sought asylum in a mosque.

Dum multaj jaroj la fama aŭtoro loĝis en azilo por maljunuloj.
= For many years the famous author lived in an old people’s home.

Oni devis sendi la novan entuziasman esperantiston al azilo por danĝere mojosaj junuloj.
= They had to send the enthusiastic new Esperantist to a home for dangerously cool youth.

Return to top.

b ∧ ba ∨

bagatela = trivial. See vulgara.

balai = to sweep, mop. See kombi.

balanci = to swing, rock (something).
Not to be confused with:

bilanci = to balance (an account) (from bilanco = a balance sheet)

stabiligi = to stabilize, to balance

ekvilibri = to balance, be in equilibrium

ekvilibrigi = to bring into balance (forces, expenses, scales, etc.)

Vi devos lerni ekvilibrigi vian budĝeton, mia elspezemuleto.
= You must learn to balance your budget, my little spendthrift.

Ŝi balancis la katidon kiel infanon en malgranda lulilo.
= She rocked the kitten like a child in a little cradle.

Niaj fortoj kun tiuj de la malamikoj tute ne ekvilibras.
= Our forces are completely out of balance with those of the enemies.

Li ne sukcesis stabiligi la kafotasojn, kiuj laŭte falis.
= He didn't succeed in balancing the coffee cups, which fell loudly.

baloti = to vote. See selekti.

bankedo = banquet. See festi.

b ∧ be ∨

bedaŭri = to regret. Hence: bedaŭrinde = unfortunately.

Ŝia amato estis ĉiel admirinda, sed bedaŭrinde tre malriĉa, do ni bedaŭrinde devis malpermesi la geedziĝon.
= Her beloved was admirable in all ways, but unfortunately very poor, so we unfortunately had to prohibit the marriage.

Mi bedaŭras informi vin, ke ŝi sin mortigis.
= I'm sorry to tell you that she committed suicide.

bela = beautiful, pretty, handsome.
The tendency in English to refer to men as handsome but to women as pretty or beautiful is not observed in Esperanto. Bela works for equally well for both genders (unless they are ugly).

Li estis la plej bela dancisto en la trupo.
= He was the handsomest dancer in the company.

La princino estas pli bela ol la plej bela floro de ies ajn ĝardeno.
= The princess was more beautiful than the prettiest flower of anybody’s garden.

benzeno = benzene. See gaso.

benzino = gasoline (for automobiles). See gaso.

b ∧ bi ∨

bilanci= to balance (an account). See balanci.

biliono = trillion.
Not to be confused with:

miliardo = billion (= thousand million)
1,000,000,000,000 estas biliono
1,000,000,000 estas miliardo
1,000,000 estas miliono
1,000 estas milo

Unu kopeko estas kiom mi havas en la monujo.
= One kopek is how much I have in my wallet.

Caution: There is a fundamental logical difference between the way Americans (and the French and Italians and others) calculate large numbers and the way the English and Germans and some others do it. (Asia is yet different, but Asians do not use cognate vocabulary, so they do not affect this discussion.) Esperanto tends to follow the Anglo-German conventions. Here is a table of Franco-American as against Anglo-German usage:

Amount	Franco-American	Anglo-German
106	1 million	1 million (miliono)
107	10 million	10 million
108	100 million	100 million
109	1 billion	1,000 million; = 1 milliard (miliardo)
1010	10 billion	10,000 million; = 10 milliard
1011	100 billion	100,000 million; = 100 milliard
1012	1 trillion	1 billion (biliono)
1013	10 trillion	10 billion
1014	100 trillion	100 billion
1015	1 quadrillion	1,000 billion
1016	10 quadrillion	10,000 billion
1017	100 quadrillion	100,000 billion
1018	1 quintillion	1 trillion (triliono)
1019	10 quintillion	10 trillion
1020	100 quintillion	100 trillion
1021	1 sestillion	1,000 trillion
1022	10 sestillion	10,000 trillion
1023	100 sestillion	100,000 trillion
1024	1 septillion	1 quadrillion (kvariliono)
1027	1 octillion	1,000 quadrillion
1030	1 novillion	1 quintillion (kviniliono)

b ∧ bl ∨

blago = joke, joking fib. Hence:blagi = to put somebody on.
Not to be confused with:

mensogi = lie, be mendacious.

blogo = Internet blog.

Vi blagas!
= You’re putting me on!

Mi ne blagas!
= I kid you not!

Mi ne mensogas.
= I am not lying.

Ne atentu tiun blagulon.
= Pay that joker no attention!

Lia blogo estas tute blaga!
= His blog is all blather!

Li eĉ gajnis premion por la blagado!
= He even won a prize for tall tales!

Donu al mi vian monon kaj vi eniros paradizon! Sen blago!
= Give me your money and you'll get into heaven! No kidding!

See ŝerco, petoli.

blasfemi = to cuss and swear; to blaspheme.
Compare: sakri = to cuss and swear. See juro.

Ĉiu kiu blasfemos sian dion, portos sian pekon.
= Whoever blasphemes his God shall bear his sin.

Vi blasfemas, Isaak, kontraŭ la sola Dio.^z
= You blaspheme, Isaac, against the one God.

Li parolas elegante en la litova sed en la rusa li povas nur sakri
= He speaks elegantly in Lithuanian, but in Russian he can only cuss.

Ĉiu vizaĝo ruĝiĝis kiam li blasfemegis per la blasfemegaĉo “Zamenfek!”
= Every face reddened when he swore with the terrible oath “Z…t!”

blogo = Internet blog. See blago.

b ∧ bo ∨

bokalo = wide-mouthed jar; fishbowl.
Not to be confused with:

pokalo = trophy cup; goblet, grail, stemmed glass (especially for church or royal use).

La fiŝeto pasigis sian tutan vivon en bokalo kaj tute ne bezonis Esperanton.
= The little fish passed its whole life in a bowl and had no need of Esperanto.

Ŝi ricevis pokalon por teniso
= She got a trophy in tennis.

Li dediĉis sian vivon al serĉado al la Sankta Pokalo.
= He dedicated his life to the search for the Holy Grail.

boko = buck. See buklo.

Bonan apetiton!
This expression has no American equivalent. Europeans say it to anyone who is sitting down to eat, or when they walk in on someone already eating, or when leaving a table where people are still eating. The response is to repeat it if the other person is about to eat or otherwise to say Dankon.

bonvoli. See voli.

b ∧ br ∨

breto = shelf. Hence: bretaro = “set of shelves.” See ŝranko.

broso = a brush. See kombi.

broŝuro = (1) unbound pages; (2) paperback book.
Not to be confused with:

faldfolio = brochure, pamphlet.

broŝureto = pamphlet, booklet

pamfleto (= paskvilo) = libelous, often humorous, often political pamphlet.

Faldfoliojn ni donacos al vi; broŝurojn ni devas vendi.
= We’ll give you brochures; we have to sell the booklets.

La libro estas broŝurita; ĝi ne estas tole bindita.
= The book is paper bound; it is not cloth bound.

La pamfletistoj libere kalumniis lin, kaj poste li procesis.
= The pamphleteers freely insulted him, and later he sued.

Mi legis broŝuron dum la flugo.
= I read a paperback during the flight.

brovo = brow, eyebrow.
Not to be confused with:

frunto = brow, forehead.

La ŝvito de la frunto faletis de liaj brovharoj.
= The sweat of his brow dripped from his eyebrows.

Li kuntiras la brovojn kiam ajn mi parolas pri la kunveno en Havano.
= He knits his brows whenever I talk about the meeting in Havana.

bruego = noise. See raketo.

b ∧ bu ∨

bufono = court jester. See pajaco.

buklo = curl, ringlet.
Not to be confused with:

buko = buckle.

libro = book.

dolaro = buck, dollar.

*-The “buck” referred to in the expression “pass the buck” (and hence “the buck stops here”) refers to a marker that used to be placed in front of a poker player to indicate that he would be the next dealer. It is short for “buckhorn knife,” which presumably once served as such a marker. I have never learned what such an object is called in any language other than English. The most literal Esperanto translation of the American idiom “pass the buck” would presumably be pasigi la bokon, which, unfortunately, is nonsense. Fordoni la respondecon = “give away the responsibility” conveys the sense, but obviously lacks color. And phrases like pludoni la torĉon = “pass on the torch” seem too positive in tone.

boko = buck
(The word boko tends to be used especially of deer and goats, but any male, grass-eating beast may be called a boko. More specific terms are words like vircervo = “male deer,” virkapro = “billygoat”; virkuniklo = “male rabbit” etc.).*

Siajn harojn ŝi kombis en buklojn.
= She combed her hair into curls.

Bukon grandan la zono havis.
= The belt had a big buckle.

La bubo libron grandan havas.
= The boy has a big book.

Jen la cervino kaj ŝia boko!
= There’s the doe and her buck!

Se buko kostas tridek dolarojn, vi probable estas en Norda Ameriko.
= If a buckle costs 30 bucks, you are probably in North America.

Se buko kostas tri bokojn, vi ne estas en Norda Ameriko.
= If a buckle costs three billygoats, you are not in North America.

See also bokalo.

buko = buckle. See buklo.

bulko = roll.
Not to be confused with:

bulo = loaf, lump, ball.

ampleksa = bulky, large.

dika = bulky, plump.

Ni manĝis bulkojn anstataŭ pano.
= We ate rolls instead of bread.

Li preparis viandbulon el hundaĵo por ŝi, sed ŝi tamen ne edzigis lin.
= He prepared dog meatloaf for her, but she still didn’t marry him.

La reĝa kuristo preparis reĝan panbulon.
= The royal cook prepared a royal loaf of bread.

Per neĝbulo Daĉjeto senĉapeligis la lernejestron.
= Little Davey knocked off the principal’s hat with a snowball.

bulo = loaf. See bulko.

butikejo = market (as a set of shops). See debito.

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c ∧ ce ∨

celo = goal. Hence: celi = to aim, have as a goal; celtabulo = target (in archery).
Not to be confused with:
golo = goal (in football or similar games).

La celo estas gajni premion.
= The goal is to win a prize.

Ŝi celis internacian vojaĝon.
= She was aiming for an international trip.

Li celis lerni la korean.
= He sought to learn Korean.

Ŝiaj sagoj tute mistrafis la celtabulon.
= Her arrows missed the target completely.

Enpafante golon, li preskaŭ mortigis la golulon, kiu estis lia speciala malamiko ĉiuokaze.
= Scoring a goal, he nearly killed the goalie, who was his particular enemy anyway.

See also objekto.

c ∧ ci ∨

cifero = number, written sign for a number. See nombro.

cinika = (1) relating to the ancient Greek philosophical school of Cynics (cinikoj); (2) libertine, indecent, obscene (especially of people).
Not to be confused with:

*-The Cynics defied social convention, which accounts for the Esperanto meaning of cinika as “indecent.” It is the English word which has drifted away from its Greek sense. Note that in Esperanto a ciniko is an ancient Greek Cynic. But a libertine (cinika persono) is a cinikulo.

skeptik(em)a = cynical, skeptical.

nekredema = skeptical, not credulous.

seniluzia = without illusions, skeptical, cynical.

Cinikoj = ancient Greek philosophical school of Cynics.*

Kial vi ĉiam estas skeptika pri la motivoj de aliaj?
= Why are you always cynical about others’ motives?

Vi estas konstanta skeptikulo.
= You are ever the skeptic.

Ŝi estas cinikulino! Mi neniam permesos al vi edzinigi ŝin!
= She is indecent. I will never permit you to marry her!

Antisteno fondis cinikismon.
= Antisthenes founded Cynicism.

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ĉ ∧ ĉa ∨

ĉagreni = to vex, to annoy, frustrate, sadden.

La malkonsento de la komitatanoj ĉagrenis la prezidanton.
= The disagreement of the committee members annoyed the president.

Malfidelaj gefiloj ĉagrenas la gepatrojn.
= Unfaithful children are an annoyance to their parents.

Daĉjeto ĝoje rimarkis, ke la tambureto kapablis ĉagrenegi la plenkreskulojn mirinde rapide.
= Little Davey joyfully noticed that the little drum was able to really annoy grown-ups wonderfully fast.

Post la balotado, ne plu gravas ĉu ĉagreniĝas la voĉdonintoj.
= After the vote, it no longer matters if the voters get annoyed.

Contrast: ĝeni.

ĉantaĝo = racket, especially blackmail. See raketo.

ĉaro = carriage, cart, chariot. See pramo.

ĉarto = legal charter. But: ĉarti = to charter or rent (a vehicle)

La komitato kreis ĉarton por la politika partio.
= The committee drafted a charter for the political party.

La estraro vojaĝis per ĉartita aŭtobuso.
= The executive committee travelled by chartered bus.

La fluglinio ĉartigis aviadilon al la armeo, kiu akcidente eksplodigis ĝin.
= The airline chartered a plane to the army, which accidentally blew it up.

ĉ ∧ ĉe ∨

ĉe = at, in the sense of location.
Some speakers use this with street names (where others use sur or en). It is also often used to mean “at the home of.”

Li staris ĉe la fenestro.
= He was standing at the window.

Ŝi loĝas ĉe la strato Midan Tarir.
= She lives on Midan Tahrir Street.

Mi estis ĉe mia frato dum la pandemio.
= I was at my brother’s during the pandemic.

See also je.

ĉeesti = attend. See atendi.

ĉesi = to cease (doing something). See halti.

ĉ ∧ ĉi ∨

ĉi = this, here.

The particle ĉi is normally used to make “that” or “all” correlatives into “this” and “all this” correlatives. Ĉi may be placed before or after the correlative it refers to, or even slightly separated from it:

tiam = then	ĉi tiam = now
ĉiel = in every way	ĉi ĉiel = in all these ways
tial = therefore	tial ĉi = for this reason ĉi tial = for this reason
tiu seĝo = that chair	ĉi tiu seĝo = this chair tiu ĉi seĝo = this chair tiu seĝo ĉi = this chair

In general, ĉi is omitted except as a matter of emphasis, regardless whether in English we would say “this” or “that.”

Kiu estas tiu Roberto kiu deziras vin edzinigi?
= Who is this Robert who wants to marry you?

Ĉi can also be used with other words, sometimes (preferably) taking the form of a prefix with a hyphen, sometimes simply standing beside the word to which it refers:

ĉi-semajne = this week	ĉi-kune = herewith
ĉi matene = this morning	ĉi letero = this letter*
ĉi-koncerne = with respect to this matter

*-The use of ĉi directly with a noun occurs but is thought substandard by some.

Note that languages differ in the meaning of “this” and “that” and hence actual Esperanto usage may differ according to the experiences of the speaker. In many European languages, for example, “this” is used to refer to what has been most recently mentioned rather than what is physically closest to the speaker, a usage also common in Esperanto, but not in English:

*-In English you would probably get the dollars. In Esperanto you would as likely get the eruos. Actually, because the example is a bit contrived to be brief, you might get both amounts. The point is that you can’t count on it.

Ŝi donis kafon, sukeron, kaj lakton; ĉi tiun donacis la bovino.
= She offered coffee, sugar, and milk, this last contributed by the cow.

Du dolaroj kuŝas apud mi kaj kvin eŭroj apud vi; tiom ĉi mi donacos al vi.
= Two dollars are here by me and five euros by you; I’ll give you this much.*

Ĉi is not a preposition. Its use has no effect on whether what precedes or follows takes an accusative (-n) marker or not.

Ĉi tiu estas mia amiko.
= This one [here] is my friend.

Ne manĝu ĉi tiun.
= Don’t eat this one [here].

ĉaŭ = Goodbye. Sometimes written ĉiaŭ. See Ĝis (la) revido.

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d ∧ da ∨

damaĝo = damage. See domaĝo.

Dankon! = Thank you!

Note that thanking, like tipping, handshaking, bill-splitting, and calling people by first or last name, varies from place to place. Should one thank someone for performing his or her duty? Or for an act motivated simply by family membership? It can be insulting to do so. Chinese do not thank close family members who help each other because to do so would imply that they were outsiders. In general you should expect to be thanked (or not) unexpectedly by foreign Esperantists, while yourself thanking pretty much anything that moves.

The most usual response when someone says dankon to you is ne dankinde = “it was nothing.” (The Americanism “no problem” has so far not penetrated Esperanto in this context. When it arrives, it is likely to be sen problemo.) Other possible responses include:

Ne dankinde.
= You’re welcome.

Estas nenio.
= It’s nothing.

Estas mia plezuro.
= My pleasure.

Plezure.
= With pleasure.

Danko ne necesas; vi ricevos mian fakturon.
= No need for thanks; you’ll get my bill.

daŭri = to last, endure.
Hence: daŭre = continuously; daŭrigi = to continue (something, doing something). Often the direct object is assumed rather than stated.

Neniu imperio povas eterne daŭri.
= No empire can last forever.

Profesoro Piroso daŭre prelegis malgraŭ la bruo.
= Professor Piroso lectured continuously despite the noise.

Profesoro Piroso daŭrigis sian prelegon malgraŭ la bruo.
= Professor Piroso continued his lecture despite the noise.

Profesoro Piroso daŭrigis malgraŭ la bruo.
= Professor Piroso continued despite the noise.

Profesoro Piroso daŭris ĝis la fino de la prelego.
= Professor Piroso lasted out the lecture.

Vi daŭre misprononcas mian nomon: ne “Pirozo” sed Piroso!
= You keep mispronouncing my name, not “Pirozo” (heart-burn), Piroso!

d ∧ de ∨

de = by, of, from.
In general this preposition is used to show a relationship between two nouns whereby the first depends on or “belongs to” the second.

la patro de Roberto
= Robert’s father

la letero de la hungarino
= the Hungarian woman’s letter

la leciono de Esperanto
= the Esperanto lesson

Notice the contrast between de and el:

Mi venas de Francio.
= I come from France (i.e., I’m French).

Mi venas el Francio.
= I am coming from France (i.e., I’ve been in France).

De kiu planedo vi venas?
= What planet do you come from?

With passive participles, de is used to show agency. Especially in older Esperanto, it is frequently placed between the noun and the participle.

la libro de Mizakawa verkita
= the book written by Mizakawa

telero purigita de mia filo
= plate washed by my son

li estis naskita de Sana
= he was born to Sana

la proponita de li leĝo
= the law he proposed

See also fare de.

Used with another preposition, indicating a place, de (or el) shows motion away from the place:

Li prenis ĝin de sub la lito.
= He took it out from under the bed.

La kato saltis de sur la ŝranko.
= The cat jumped down off the shelf.

Ŝi envenis de ekster la scenejo.
= She entered from off-set.

Note that in the case of sentiments, Esperanto distinguishes de from al or kontraŭ to show the direction of the action or sentiment:

amo de Dio = God’s love	amo al Dio = love for God
serĉo de Maria = Maria’s quest	serĉo al Maria = search for Maria

Caution: English “of” is not necessarily translated by Esperanto de:

Pri kio, diable, vi pensis?
= What on earth were you thinking of?

Mi estas laca pro vojaĝado.
= I am tired of travelling.

debeto = debit (~ ŝuldo = debt). See debito.

debiti = to sell retail. See debito.

debito = market (for something, either at wholesale or at retail).
Not to be confused with:

merkato = market (as a system of trading).

butikejo = market (as a set of shops), shopping mall.

bazaro = outdoor market, flea market.

vendejo = market, shop.

ŝuldo = debt. Hence: ŝuldanto = “debtor, one who owes money.”

debeto = debit. Hence: debetanto = “creditor, person who debits the account.”

debiti = to sell retail.

grosieri = to sell wholesale (from grosiero = a wholesaler).

debitoro = debtor (unrelated to debito!)* .

*-If there is a confusing word in this, it is debitoro, which is a borrowing from Italian into Esperanto that somewhat interferes with the logic of two already very similar roots: debit- = “retail” and debet- = “debit.” Since almost nobody uses debitoro, I recommend ignoring it unless you are talking about Renaissance Florentine bookkeeping. In ordinary conversation, a debtor is a ŝuldanto.

Li certis, ke la merkato eatas ĉioscianta kaj ĉiam aŭtomate produktos la plej bonan socian politikon.
= He was certain that the market was all-knowing, and would always automatically produce the best social policy.

Mi debitis Volapukajn librojn.
= I retailed Volapük books.

Mi ilin aĉetis pogrande de grosiero en Manilo.
= I bought them in large lots from a wholesaler in Manila.

Mi celis fariĝi granda debitisto.
= I sought to become a great retailer.

Ankoraŭ ne ekzistis bona debito por Volapukaj libroj.
= There still was not a good market for Volapük books.

Mi havis terurajn debetojn sed vivotenis per kreditkartoj.
= I had terrible debts but lived by credit cards.

Ĉiu kreditkarta kompanio maksimume debetis mian konton.
= Each credit card company debited my account to the maximum.

Mi estas nun granda debitoro.
= Now I am a great debtor.

Mi esperas vendi malnovajn ŝuojn en la bazaro.
= I hope to sell old shoes in the flea market.

debitoro = debtor (unrelated to debito!). See debito.

debuti = to debut, appear for the first time. See also debito.

La sumoisto de 75 kilogramoj debutis malsukcesege.
= The 165-lb sumo wrestler debuted extremely badly.

Nia debuto, kiel klubo, venis el ekspozicio.
= Our beginning as a club came from an exhibit.

Mia filo estas debutanto en Esperanto.
= My son is just getting launched in Esperanto.

deca = decent. See vulgara.

defii = to challenge.
Not to be confused with:

spiti = to spite, openly defy.

Mia nuna defio estas profunde kompreni komputilojn.
= My current challenge is to understand computers thoroughly.

Li defiis ĉampionon de bokso; nun li kuŝas en paca tombo.
= He challenged the boxing champ; now he lies in a peaceful tomb.

La de li kuirita manĝo estis por ŝi vera defio!
= The meal he made was a real challenge for her!

Ĉu civilizacio kapablas respondi la defion de homa batalemo?
= Can civilization respond to the challenge of human belligerence?

Adoleskantoj ege tro ofte spitas la gepatrojn, laŭ nia opinio!
= Teenagers much too often defy their parents in our opinion!

Ŝi spitis Panjon per tio, ke ŝi aperis “ĉefeste senveste”.
= She spited Mama by appearing at the party without clothes.

Ŝia konsterna konduto defias la imagon.
= Her shocking conduct defies the imagination.

deliri = to rave, be delirious. See ravi.

demandi = to ask (someone about something).
Not to be confused with:

peti = to ask (someone for) something.

postuli = to demand, require something (from someone)

Li demandis ĉu necesas labori por havi monon.
= He asked whether it was necessary to work to have money.

Li demandis ĉu mi iros.
= He asked if I would go.

Li petis, ke mi iru.
= He asked me to go.

Ŝi petis, ke li dancu kun ŝi.
= She asked him to dance with her.

Li petis monon de/al sia edzino.
= He asked his wife for money.

Petu lin al mi.^z
= Ask him [to come] to me.

Por gasto ne petita mankas kulero.^z
= For an uninvited guest there is no spoon.

Li postulis, ke mi iru.
= He required me to go.

Poste li postulis cent dolarojn.
= Later he demanded a hundred dollars.

Ŝi postulis, ke li dancu kaj kantu antaŭ ol manĝi.
= She required him to dance and sing before eating.

demisii = to resign. See rezigni.

deserto = dessert.
Not to be confused with

dezerto = desert.

devi = must, to have to; probably to be.
Note that with the -us ending, this is often closer to English “should” or “ought to.”

Kuru! Ni devas rapidi. Ni devas ne maltrafi ŝian filmon.
= Run! We have to hurry. We mustn’t miss her film.

Vi devos renkonti la aŭtobuson morgaŭ je la 10a.
= You’ll have to meet the bus tomorrow at 10.

… tiuj argumentoj devis ŝajni al tiuj homoj tiel same infanaj kiel al ni nun ŝajnas iliaj tiamaj kontrtaŭparoloj.^z
= these arguments must have seemed to those people just as childish as their counterarguments from that time seem to us today.

Mi devus trinki pli da lakto, sed mi devus pli ekserciĝi ankaŭ.
= I ought to drink more milk, but I should exercise more too.

Kiu volas mensogi devas bone memori.^z
= He who would tell lies needs a good memory.

Because there is little precise indication of time in the US-mood, some English expressions do not have close Esperanto equivalents.

Ŝi devis iri hejmen.
= She had to go home.

Ŝi devas esti jam hejme.
= She must already be at home. = She is probably already at home.

Ŝi devus iri hejmen.
= She ought to go home.
= She ought to have gone home.
= She would have to go home.
= She would have to have gone home.

When necessary (rarely!) it is possible to provide greater precision with expressions like devus esti irinta = “would have to have gone,” and the like.

Because devus means “ought” and other forms of devi mean “must,” it is possible to create sentences with both. Although the English translations work fine, the use of devi twice in the same Esperanto sentence is likely to be confusing:

Mi devus ne devi esti sklavo.
= I shouldn’t have to be a slave.

Vi devus ne devi esti devigata.
= You shouldn’t have to be compelled.

devi ne = must not & ne devi = (1) need not and (2) must not

In Esperanto the element ne, exactly as in English, is sensitive to word order:

Mi devis ne trinki tiom da viskio.
= I shouldn’t have drunk so much whiskey.

Mi ne devis trinki tiom da viskio.
= I didn’t need to drink so much whiskey.

Vi devas ne malfermi la skatolon.
= You must not open the box.

Vi ne devas malfermi la skatolon.
= You needn’t open the box.

Mi devas ne frue iri hejmen.
= I mustn’t go home early.

Mi ne devas frue iri hejmen.
= I don’t need to go home early.

However, in several European languages a negative form of a word like devi always means “must not” and never means “need not” regardless of word order. The equivalents of devi ne and ne devi are identical in meaning in such languages, and the lack of differentiation is often carried over into Esperanto. The last example above —about going home early— risks being misunderstood by many speakers as meaning “I should not” rather than “I need not.” Even Zamenhof himself used ne dev- this way:

Blindulo kartojn ne devas ludi.^z
= A blind person should not play cards.
(Obviously not: A blind person need not play cards.)

Such speakers (including Zamenhof) are being illogical, perhaps, but the point is that they may also misunderstand you. You can avoid this by rephrasing the sentence to avoid ne devas entirely:

Ne necesis, ke mi trinku tiom da viskio.
= It wasn’t necessary for me to drink so much whiskey.

Ne necesas, ke mi frue iri hejmen.
= It’s not necessary for me to go home early.

Blindulo kartojn ne ludu.
= A blind person should not play cards.

Potentially even more confusing are sentences in which both verbs are negated even though technically this is perfectly logical:

Mi ne devas ne trinki lakton. = I don’t need not to drink milk.
Better: Ne necesas, ke mi evitu lakton.
= I don’t need to avoid milk.

devizo = (1) watchword, motto; (2) currency, foreign exchange.
Not to be confused with:

rimedo = device, means, solution, resource.

aparato = device, apparatus.

Ili vendas aparatojn por komuniki kun aliplanedanoj.
= They sell devices to communicate with extraterrestrials.

Ilia devizo estas “Trompeblulo naskiĝas ĉiuminute!”
= Their motto is, “There’s a sucker born every minute!”

Lia devizo estas “Evitu defiojn!” sed mankas al li la rimedo ĉar por li ĉio estas defio.
= His motto is, “Avoid challenges!” but he lacks the means to do so, since for him everything is a challenge.

See also sentenco.

dezerto = desert.
Not to be confused with

deserto = dessert.

d ∧ di ∨

diboĉi = to be degenerate and licentious. See festi.

difekti = to damage, break..
Not to be confused with:

malperfektaĵo = defect, imperfection.

manko = defect, lack, missing part.
(See also manki.)

nenormalaĵo = defect, abnormality.

ribeli = to defect, rebel.

transfuĝi = to defect, hide out.

See also domaĝo.

Kiu tro alten rigardon direktas, tiu tre baldaŭ okulojn difektas.^z
= He who directs his gaze too high will soon spoil his eye.

Ŝi difektis al si la brakon ludante basbalon.
= She broke her arm playing baseball.

En ĉiu objekto troviĝas difekto.^z
= There is a flaw in every object.

En lia pulmo ni trovis nenormalaĵon.
= We found an abnormality in his lung.

Ni fine ribelis kontraŭ la klubestro kiam li forlasis precize cent akuzativojn.
= We at last rebelled against the club president when he left out an even hundred accusatives.

dik(et)a = bulky, plump, fat. See plumpa.

dika = bulky, plump, fat. See bulko.

direkti = guide, govern, direct, manage. See guverni, kontroli.

diservo = religious service. See servo.

diskonto = discount (on financial instruments). See rabato.

disponi = to have available, have access to.
Not to be confused with:

aranĝi = arrange, dispose.

dispozicii = to arrange, place, set out.

forigi = to cast off, put aside.

forĵeti = to cast off, throw out.

Tie ĉi vi disponas plenan bibliotekon da Esperantaĵoj.
= Here you have a whole library of Esperanto materials available.
= Here you have access to a whole library of Esperanto materials.

Mi estos disponebla je la 22a.
= I’ll be available at 10 pm.

Li tute redispoziciis la meblaron de la salono.
= He completely rearranged the living room furniture.

Ŝi forigis la neleĝan infanon.
= She disposed of the illegitimate child.

Ne forĵetu mian malnovan perukon; ĝi estas pli komforta ol la nova.
= Don’t throw out my old wig; it’s more comfortable than the new one.

dispozicii = to arrange, place. See disponi.

disputo = argument, disagreement. See argumento.

dividi = to divide; to share
In English, when everyone gets a different piece of something, we say it is “divided” or “shared.” But something such as knowledge or an experience can only be “shared,” not “divided,” because the original “owner” parts with none of it. In Esperanto dividi does service both ways. To be explicit that the original “owner” doesn’t lose anything, a clear Esperanto term is kunhavigi.

… dividi sian tempon inter diversaj taskoj^z
= to divide one’s time among various tasks

La brovojn dividis profunda sulko.^z
= A deep wrinkle divided his brows.

Mi havis du infanojn, tiam Dio dividis kun mi kaj prenis unu el ili al si ^z
= I had two children; then God shared with me and took one of them to himself.

Daĉjeto, dividu la bombonojn kun via fratino! Nun!
= Davey, share the candies with your sister. Now!

Nun Johano dividos kun ni siajn aventurojn en Kansaso
= Now John will share with us his adventures in Kansas.

Li ne deziris dividi kun ni siajn ideojn por la nova teatraĵo.
= He didn't want to share his ideas for the new play with us.

Li ne deziris kunhavigi kun ni siajn ideojn por la nova teatraĵo.
= He didn't want to share his ideas for the new play with us.

Li decidis dividi la teatraĵon en du: unu tragedio kaj unu komedio.
= He decided to divide the play in two, one tragedy and one comedy.

Ŝi dividis/kunhavigis la sekretajn militajn planojn kun la belega spiono.
= She shared the secret military plans with the handsome spy.

d ∧ do ∨

dolaro = dollar.
Not to be confused with:

doloro = pain. See also angoro.

dolĉa = sweet, gentle. See ĝentila.

dolorego = horrible pain, agony. See agonio.

dolori = to hurt, cause pain (said especially of body parts).
Dolori is a transitive verb. A thing hurts a person. See also angoro.
Not to be confused with:

vundi = to hurt, wound.

La sago vundis ŝin.
= The arrow wounded her.

Mia internaĵo min doloras.^z
= My innards hurt.

Min doloras la nepovado helpi vin.^z
= The continuing inability to help you hurts me.

Sometimes the object (or even subject) is only implied.

Min doloras ĉi tie, Panjo.^z
= I hurt here, Mommy. (subject omitted)

Tia operacio tre doloras.^z
= Such an operation hurts a lot. (object omitted)

La vundo estis tre dolora.
= The wound was very painful.

Since dolori is what a body part does to one, to hurt someone else one uses dolorigi:

koloroj kiuj dolorigas la okulojn ^z
= colors that hurt the eyes

Mi dolorigis al mi la piedfingron.
= I hurt my toe.

La kluba kantado dolorigas la orelojn.
= The club’s singing hurts the ears.

If you want to hurt somebody without specifying a body part, it is more usual to use vundi:

Li dolorigis al mi la ŝultron.
= He hurt my shoulder.

Ŝi vundis min.
= She hurt me.

Ŝia obstino dolorigis min.
= Her obstinacy hurt me.

Ŝi dolorigis mian koron.
= She caused me heartache.

doloro = pain (physical or psychological). See dolori, angoro.

domaĝo = a regrettable loss, actual or potential.
Hence: domaĝi = “to fear such a loss,” i.e., “to overvalue.”
Not to be confused with:

damaĝo = damage.
(NB: Damaĝi usually means to inflict metaphorical or immaterial damage, as against difekti, which refers to physically harming something.) See also difekti.

*-Domaĝo in this expression superficially corresponds with the English “shame” in “What a shame!” or “That’s a shame!” This is perhaps its most common use, but it is important not to equate it with any other English sense of “shame,” such as “She is without shame” = Mankas al ŝi hontemo.

Estas domaĝo, ke mi devas labori anstataŭ ricevi heredaĵon.
= It’s a shame that I have to work instead of receiving an inheritance.

Post domaĝo venas saĝo.^z
= After a loss comes wisdom.

Kia domaĝo!
= What a loss! What a shame!*

Ŝi domaĝas la hundidon; li domaĝas ĝian eventualan prezon.
= She worries about losing the puppy; he worries about paying its possible price.

Li nenion aĉetas, ĉar li tro domaĝas monon.
= He buys nothing, for he too much begrudges spending the money.

Ŝi domaĝis nenion por tiu fripono.
= She spared nothing for that jerk.

La herezo multe damaĝis la eklezion.
= The heresy much damaged the church.

Lia kabeado damaĝis la Esperantan klubon.
= His apostasy damaged the Esperanto club.

dorno = thorn. See piki.

d ∧ dr ∨

dresi = to train, to tame (wild animals).
Not to be confused with:

vesti = to dress (a child, a model, oneself).

vestiĝi = to get dressed.

pansi= to dress (a wound).

robo = a dress.

mantelo = robe, mantle, coat.

kamenŝranko = mantel, mantelpiece.

Kvankam malriĉa, ŝi ĉiam vestis sian infanon pli bone ol aliaj.
= Although poor, she always dressed her child better than others did.

Ŝi portis gajan ruĝan robon en lia funebra solenaĵo.
= She wore a cheerful red dress to his funeral.

Li pansis ŝian kruron tiel kiel eblis en ĝangalo tia.
= He dressed her leg as well as possible in such a jungle.

Leonojn kaj tigrojn mi dresis, sed mia infano daŭre sovaĝemas.
= I’ve tamed lions and tigers, but my kid is still pretty wild.

La reĝino portu bluan mantelon super blanka robo.
= The queen should wear a blue robe over a white dress.

Kolapsis la kamenŝranko dum tertremo.
= The mantelpiece collapsed in an earthquake.

See eduki, kultivi.

drinki = to drink (something alcoholic) to excess, guzzle, booze it up on (something).
Not to be confused with:

trinki = to drink (including alcohol in moderation)

The fact that something is alcoholic does not necessarily mean one has to drinki it rather than trinki it. It is the combination of alcohol and excess that dictates the word drinki.

Mi amegas trinki ĉampanon.
= I love drinking champagne.

Veraj viroj emas drinki, ĉu ne? Nu, ĉu ne?!
= Real men are inclined to booze it up, aren’t they? Well, aren’t they?!

Li drinkis bieron ĝis li ekdormis.
= He guzzled beer till he fell asleep.

d ∧ du ∨

dubli = to dub (a film)
Not to be confused with:

duobligi = to double (formed from du-obl-igi = to double; similar to triobligi = to triple, kvarobligi = to quadruple, etc.)

La filmo estas el Ĉinio, sed ni spektis ĝin dublitan en la hispana.
= The film is from China, but we watched it dubbed in Spanish.

Mia frato estas elstara kinoaktoro, sed neniu vidas lin ĉar li estas dublisto, tio estas, li dublas filmojn.
= My brother is an outstanding movie actor, but nobody sees him because he is a voice actor, that is, he does film dubbing.

Dum la feriaj tagoj, la prezoj de taksioj duobliĝas.
= During the holidays, taxi prices double.

Dum la feriaj tagoj, oni duobligas la prezojn de taksioj.
= During the holidays, they double the taxi prices.

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e ∧ eb ∨

ebena = flat (not bumpy). See plata, plato.

e ∧ ed ∨

eduki = to bring up, rear, train.
Not to be confused with:

klera = wise, well informed, cultivated, educated.

Tiu infano Daĉjeto ŝajnas misedukita.
= That Little Davey child seems poorly brought up.

La instruisto strebegis klerigi la sovaĝan infanon.
= The instructor strove mightily to educate the savage child.

See also varti.

edz(in)o = husband/wife.
Hence: geedzoj = one or more married couples. From this are derived three distinct terms for getting married:

*-Because Esperanto specifies the sex(es) of the person or people being married, it is more precise than English, and geedziĝo is necessarily marriage involving people of the opposite sex. In the case of gay marriage, kunedziĝo or kunedziniĝo, as appropriate, is to be recommended. A life partner is sometimes referred to as a kunulo, a more appropriate term if legal marriage is not involved. The term partnero is just as ambiguous as its English cognate.

edziĝi = to get married (become a husband).

ediniĝi = to get married (become a wife).

geedziĝi = to get married (become a married couple*).

Similarly what the cleric or justice of the peace (or the other partner to the marriage!) does is:

edzigi = to marry (make somebody into a husband).

edzinigi = to marry (make somebody into a wife).

geedzigi = to marry (make people into a married couple*).

Mi edziĝis en 1996 kaj eksedziĝis la sekvan jaron.
= I got married in 1996 and divorced the following year.

Miaj gepatroj geedziĝis en 1960.
= My parents got married in 1960.

La pastro geedzigis ilin.
= The pastor married them.

Li deziris edzinigi ŝin kaj poste heredi ŝian monon.
= He wanted to wed her and then inherit her money.

Mi deziras geedziĝi kun vi.
= I want to marry you.

En tiu eklezio, geja duo rajtas kunedziĝi.
= In that church a gay couple can get married.

e ∧ ef ∨

efektiva = actual, actually existing.
Not to be confused with:

efika = effective, efficacious.

aktuala = current, up to date, topical, present-day.

Ĉi tiu gazeto estas de hieraŭ; ĝi ne plu estas aktuala.
= This is yesterday’s paper; it’s not up-to-date any more.

Aktualeco ne influos min; mi studos la latinan!
= That it be current does not bother me; I shall study Latin!

Efektiveco ne influos min; mi studos Volapukon!
= Its existence or not doesn’t bother me; I shall study Volapük !

Ŝi estas malefika prelegisto ĉar ŝi parolas nur pri sekso inter ursoj.
= She is an ineffective speaker, for she talks only about sex among bears.

efektive = really.
Much overused in Esperanto. (The more you use this, the more fluent you will seem.) It is used when listening to someone else to show you are in agreement. It can be used to answer a question that contains its own answer. It can be muttered under one’s breath in the privacy of empty elevators or shower stalls. Think of it as Esperantists’ revenge against our “Mmmm hmmm.”

Li efektive konas neniom de la bengala.
= He actually knows no Bengali at all.

Efektive, li kaj mi ne plu estas bonaj amikoj.
= Actually he and I are no longer good friends.

La prezo estas tre alta. Efektive.
= The price is very high. Mmmm hmmm.

efektivigi = to bring about, to effect. See afekti.

efika = effective. See efektiva.

e ∧ ek ∨

ekde = (1) from the very moment that; (2) from the very beginning of. (The logical but rare opposite of ekde is depost = “after.”)

Ekde kiam mi gravedis mi komencis ŝanĝi mian sintenon pri li.
= From the moment I became pregnant I began to change my mind about him.

Ekde mia infanaĝo mi deziris esti aktoro.
= From my childhood I wanted to be an actor.

Note that what follows ekde is an indicator of a point in time. To indicate a length of time one uses de or jam de:

Jam de longa tempo mi estas esperantisto.
= I have been an Esperantist for a long time now.

eklezio = church (an organization). See preĝejo.

ekshibicio = exhibitionism.
Not to be confused with:

ekspozicio = exhibit.

Mia patrino ege ĝuis mian ekspozicion.
= My mother much enjoyed my exhibit.

Mia patrino ege ŝokiĝis je mia ekshibicio.
= My mother was greatly shocked at my exhibitionism.

Ekshibicio estas psikiatria malsano.
= Exhibitionism is a psychiatric illness.

eksiĝi = resign. See rezigni.

ekspertizi = to conduct a commissioned study or research report. Hence: ekspertizo = the conduct of a commissioned study; ekspertizisto = consultant, investigator; ekspertiz(aĵ)o = report of an investigation.
Not to be confused with:

spert(ec)o = expertise.

La kasisto petis ekspertizon fare de financaj spertuloj por taksi la misagojn de sia antaŭulo.
= The treasurer asked for an analysis by financial experts to assess the malfeasance of his predecessor.

La rezulto de ilia ekspertizo estis sekretega ekspertizaĵo.
= The result of their investigation was a highly secret report.

See sperto.

ekspozicio = exhibit. See ekshibicio.

ekvilibri = to balance, be in equilibrium. See balanci.

ekvilibrigi = to bring into balance. See balanci.

ekzameno = examination. See testo.

ekzemplero = copy (e.g., of a book). See kopio.

ekzemplo = example, instance. See kopio, instanco.

ekzerci = to exercize (someone). Hence: ekzerciĝi ~ sin ekzerci = to practice (as the piano). See praktiko.

e ∧ el ∨

el = from, made from. See also de.

Li revenis el la domo.
= He came back out of the house again.

Mi venos el Peruo.
= I’ll be coming from Peru.

La kaliko estas el rusa vitro.
= The goblet is made of Russian glass.

Ni manĝis kompoton el prunoj.
= We ate a plum compote.

Oni elektis lin el inter 500 viroj kiel la plej belan.
= They picked him out of 500 men as the best looking.

Fine, timeme, ŝi venis el sub la sofo.
= Finally, timidly, she came out from under the sofa.

elekti = choose, pick out.
For most speakers there is no significant difference between selekti and elekti. Elekti is the far commoner word. A few speakers reserve selekti to mean “selectively breed.”

e ∧ em ∨

emerito = emeritus/emerita.
The basic word is a noun, obviously generating the adjective emerita, as in emerita profesoro = professor emeritus. Emerita is properly a term of honor granted to a retiring professional. Although not all retired people are so honored, the term emerito, like pensiulo, is routinely assumed to include them. A common error (so common that it is almost certainly destined to become standard usage) is the hyperform emeritulo. See pensio.

Ŝi belege parolas Esperanton, kvankam ŝi komencis lerni nur post sia emeritiĝo
= She speaks Esperanto beautifully, even though she started learning only after her retirement.

Ŝi estas emerita profesorino kaj tre emfazas la sufikson “-in- ” en tiu titolo.
= She is a professor emerita and is very very emphatic that it is emerit-A, not emerit-US.

Ĉi tie en Krepuska Paradizo niaj loĝantoj estas “emeritoj”. Ni neniam uzas la malbelan esprimon “maljunuloj”.
= Here in Sunset Paradise our residents are “retirees.” We never use the ugly expression “old people.”

emo = tendency. See tendenco.

emocio = an emotion, (an) affect. See afekti.

e ∧ en ∨

entrepreni = to undertake. See klopodi.

enua = bored.
Hence: enui = to be bored, enuigi = to bore (someone), enuiga = boring. Contrast amuzi, tedi.

envii = to envy. See ĵaluza.

e ∧ er ∨

erudi = to educate (someone) in depth. Hence: erudita = erudite.
Not to be confused with:

Erudicio (= eruditeco)= erudition. Hence: erudiciulo (= erudito = an erudite person.

Li estas impona erudiciulo, sed malbona erudisto.
= He’s an impressive scholar but a bad mentor.

e ∧ es ∨

esperantisto = a person who both knows and uses Esperanto.
Knowing Esperanto without using it, using Esperanto social networks without using Esperanto to do so, or eagerly supporting Esperanto without learning it are all ways of not being an Esperantist. Never having heard of Esperanto is another way.

Ŝi estas denaska esperantisto.
= She’s a native speaker of Esperanto.

Li estis ĝisosta esperantisto. Iam mi scivolas, ĉu en la tombo liaj ostoj ankoraŭ parolas la lingvon.
= He was a dyed-in-the-wool [lit: to his very bones] esperantist. Sometimes I wonder if his bones are still speaking the language in his grave.

Esperanto = name of a language.
The noun Esperanto, its associated adjective Esperanta, and adverb Esperante are all conventionally (but not inevitably) capitalized to differentiate them from the literal words referring not to the language but to hoping:

Ĉu vi skribis Esperante?
= Did you write in Esperanto?

Mi parolis Esperanton, esperante ke iu min komprenos.
= I spoke Esperanto hoping someone would understand me.

Ŝi estas denaska esperanto sed eklernis Esperanton nur pasintjare.
= She’s been a hopeful person from birth but started learning Esperanto only last year.

esperi = to hope; to hope for.

En feliĉo ne fieru, en malfeliĉo esperu.^z
= Be not proud in happy times but be hopeful in times of despair.

Mi neniel esperis sukceson.^z
= I didn’t in any way hope for success.

*-Note the use of alportos, not alportu. Esperanto does not routinely use the U-mode after the verb esperi.

Mi esperas vidi vin sekrete, kara.
= I hope to see you secretly, my dear.

Mi esperas, ke li alportos* kukon!
= I hope he’ll bring a cake!

esprimo = phrase. See frazo.

esti = to be.
Used as the first word of a sentence, esti usually corresponds with English “there is/are.”

Estas muso en la kuko!
= There’s a mouse in the cake!

Some speakers begin a sentence with esti because they consider the subject to be understood:

Kia vi taksas ĝin? Estas bela!
= How do you like it? It’s beautiful!

Being in a particular place is often expressed by troviĝi = “to be found,” trovebli = “to be findable,” or situi = “to be situated”:

La kunvenejo situas norde de la urbo.
= The hall is located north of the city.

Troviĝas balenoj en la maro.
= Whales are found in the sea.

Troveblas filibroj bruligendaj en ĉiu antaŭurba biblioteko!
= Vile books we must burn are to be found in every suburban library!

estonta = future, eventual. See eventuala.

estraro = board of directors. See guverni.

estri = govern, direct, manage. See guverni.

e ∧ et ∨

etaĝo = floor, story.
In Asia and America people number the stories of a building beginning with the ground-level floor as 1. In Europe it is the customary practice to begin numbering with the floor above the one at ground level (presumably dating from a time when the ground-level was dirt, hence floor-less).
Seen another way, Europeans count stairways while we count levels. Esperanto tends to follow the European convention, although the influence of the new influx of Chinese speakers may help to change that. Meanwhile, you have to expect anything. Since elevators in different countries are differently numbered, my best recommendation is to follow whichever logic dictates elevator numbering in the country where you are talking. If you follow the European convention, the term for the “ground floor” (the American “first floor”) is teretaĝo. A basement is called a subetaĝo.

e ∧ ev ∨

eventuala = possible, in case of need.
Not to be confused with:

estonta = future, eventual. Hence: estonteco = “the future.”

*-Although futuro refers only to grammar, borrowings from European languages sometimes entangle it in derivatives that having nothing to do with grammar. Thus futurismo is “futurism” (a movement in European art).

futuro = future tense (in grammar).*

fina = final, last, eventual. Compare lasta.

Oni aĉetas asekuran polison pro eventuala katastrofo.
= You buy an insurance policy in case of possible catastrophe.

La aktoro bezonas eventualan anstataŭulon.
= An actor needs an understudy in case of need.

Ĉio fine kadukiĝas.
= Everything eventually goes to pieces.

Morgaŭ estos mia fina tago en Filipinio.
= Tomorrow will be my last day in the Philippines.

En la estonteco memoru alporti kreditkartojn al la kongreso.
= In the future remember to bring credit cards to the convention.

Oni parolas pri la estonteco per la futuro.
= We speak of the future by using the future tense.

eviti = to avoid. See averti.

evolui = evolve, be transformed.

La teatraĵo montras lian evoluon de ĉarma bonfarulo al venĝema monstro.
= The play shows his evolution from a charming benefactor to a vindictive monster.

Kiam li renkontis ŝin, liaj ideoj pri vidvinoj tuj ekevoluis.
= When he met her, his ideas about widows immediately begain to evolve.

Riĉaj nacioj devus kontribui pli ol evoluantaj nacioj.
= Rich nations should contribute more than developing nations.

Daĉjeto celas evoluigi planon por venki la mondon.
= Little Davey aims to develop a plan to conquer the world.

Mia avo ankoraŭ ne kredas evoluismon.
= My grandfather still does not believe in the theory of evolution.

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f ∧ fa ∨

fakultato = university faculty. See fakulto.

fakulto = faculty, capability.
Not to be confused with:

fakultato = (1) university faculty; (2) university division, college, or department.

fako = (1) department (including university departments); (2) branch (of science, art, etc.); (3) professional specialty; (4) section, compartment (of a drawer or box).

Mankas al la universitato ĝia fakultato.
= The university lacks its faculty.

Perdis la profesoro siajn fakultojn.
= The professor has lost his faculties.

Diplomon belan sed sensignifan mi ricevis de la fakultato pri frenologio.
= I received a beautiful but meaningless diploma from the department of phrenology.

Kio estas via fako, profesoro?
= What is your specialty, professor?

Por butero havas la fridujo specialan fakon.
= The refrigerator has a special compartment for butter.

faldfolio = brochure, pamphlet. See broŝuro.

fanfaroni = to brag, put on the dog, show off.
Not to be confused with:

fanfaro = musical fanfare.

Unu fojon oni donas, kaj tutan vivon oni fanfaronas.^z
= One gives once [to charity] and then brags about it all one’s life.

Ŝi fanfaronis] per sia granda riĉeco.^z
= She really put on the dog.

Li fanfaronis, ke neniu povos lin venki.^z
= He bragged that no one would be able to beat him.

Rano malfacile fanfaronas.
= It’s hard to put on the dog when you’re a frog.

*-On the other hand there are instances of prepositions being used as verbal stems (such as peri = “to mediate” or anstataŭi = “to be a replacement for”). In any case, far as a preposition is probably destined to remain with us.

far = by. Contraction of fare de. See fare de.
Note that, although far has become relatively common, the Academy of Esperanto, like many Esperantists, (rightly) objects to it because it is irregular to use a verbal stem as a preposition.*

fare de = by. There is a tendency for de’s to pile up in some sentences:

De ŝi mi ricevis bileton de la ludo de la Filharmonio de Novjorko de la "Simfonio de Printempo" de Ŝalov aranĝita de Volaŝ.
= I received a ticket from her for a performance by the New York Philharmonic of Shalov’s "Spring Symphony" arranged by Volash.

The number of such de’s can be reduced by recasting the sentence slightly, selecting other prepositions when possible, and switching potentially confusing ones that represent the person who does something to fare de:

Ŝi transdonis al mi bileton por la ludo de la Novjorka Filharmonio de la Simfonio pri Printempo fare de Ŝalov aranĝita de Volaŝ.

Caution: A few Esperantists resist using fare de except with verbs that include the suffix -iĝ-:

La teatraĵo verkiĝis fare de fama mongola poeto.
= The play was written by a famous Mongolian poet.

The limitation seems prissy, especially since there is no very good reason to use -iĝ- in such sentences in the first place:

La teatraĵon verkis fama mongola poeto.
= A famous Mongolian poet wrote the play.

farmi = to farm (land) as a tenant.
Hence: farmo = “rental farm land”; farmisto = “tenant farmer.”
Not to be confused with:

bieno = farm, real rural estate, property.

etbieno = family farm.

grandbieno = landed estate.

kolĥozo = Soviet collective farm.

kibuco = Israeli collective farm.

Li farmas je duono.
= He farms land and gives half the harvest to the landlord.

La proprietulo bienigis al li bonan farmon.
= The owner let him cultivate a good rental plot.

Karlo esperis fariĝi bienisto ĝis li renkontis la dancistinon.
= Charles hoped to become an independent farmer till he met the dancer.

Miaj prapatroj estis etbienistoj en Pensilvanio.
= My ancestors were family farmers in Pennsylvania.

Hispanoj fondis grandbienojn en Meksiko.
= Spaniards founded land grants in Mexico.

farti = get on, fare.
Not to be confused with:

*-Speaking of breaking wind is indelicate in most countries, but the word furzi itself is not a vulgar word.

farĉi = to stuff (especially food: pork chops, grape leaves, etc.).

furzi = to fart.* See also peti.

Mi esperas, ke via patro nun pli bone fartas.
= I hope that your father is now better.

Kiam la reĝo bone fartas, la ŝtato bone fartas.
= When the king is well, the state fares well.

Plaĉegas al mi farĉitaj kotletoj de porkaĵo.
= I’m very fond of stuffed pork chops.

Kiam la imperiestro envenis, solene kaj ĉiel digne, la ĉefministro malbonŝance laŭtege furzis.
= When the emperor entered, solemnly and with all dignity, the chief minister unfortunately very loudly broke wind.

Tiu triviala stultulo ne parolas; li nur furzas per la buŝo!
= That vulgar idiot doesn’t talk; he just farts through his mouth!

fatalo = bad luck, fell fate.
Hence: fatala = “fated, unlucky, ill-starred.” The less common term fato = “ill fate” is used identically.
Not to be confused with:

mortiga = fatal.

Super ni regas neŝanĝebla fatalo.^z
= Over us there reigns an immutable bad fate.

Kia fatala kaj malagrabla eraro!^z
= What an unlucky and disagreeable error!

En fatala falo, ŝi rompis al si la brakon.
= In an unlucky fall she broke her arm.

Li estis tro fatalista por labori por Esperanto.
= He was too fatalistic to work for Esperanto.

Ŝi preparis mortigan trinkaĵon.
= She prepared a fatal drink.

See also sorto = “luck, fate” under speco.

favorata = favored.
Not to be confused with:

plej ŝatata = favorite, best liked.

preferata = favorite, preferred.

plej amata = favorite, best loved.

favori = to be favorable toward; to favor.

La policestro favoris sian filon.
= The police chief favored his son.

Malsaĝulon favoras feliĉo.^z
= Felicity favors the foolish.

Li estos favoranto de la nova leĝo.
= He will be a supporter of the new law.

Glaciaĵo estas mia preferata manĝaĵo.
= Ice cream is my favorite food.

Ŝi estis la plej ŝatata aktorino de la lando.
= She was the country’s favorite actress.

favori = to be favorable toward; to favor. See favorata.

f ∧ fe ∨

Fek! = Shit! See ve.

felo = pelt. See pelto.

festeni= to make merry. See festi.

festi = to fête, to honor (a person or occasion) with a party or dinner. Hence: festo = “dinner party,” “reception.”
Not to be confused with:

festeni = to feast, to have a party, to attend a party. Hence: festeno = “a gala banquet,” “dinner party.”

diboĉi = to make excessively merry, to attend orgies, to be profligate, degenerate, licentious, and dissolute.

festivalo = festival, as in “film festival.”

festono = festoon.

bankedo = formal banquet.

akcepto = reception. From akcepti = “to receive formally.”

Por la festeno oni ornamis la akceptejon per festonoj.
= For the banquet they decorated the reception hall with festoons.

Ni festis lin post lia sukcesoplena prelego pri verdaj insektoj.
= We fêted him after his successful lecture about green bugs.

Kelkaj venas por studi Esperanton, aliaj nur por diboĉi!
= Some come to study Esperanto, others only to yuk it up.

Mi festenis dum vespero kaj diboĉis ĝis mateno.
= I went to a dinner party in the evening and made merry till morning.

Ni festis ŝin pro la plej grava kontribuo al la klubo en 2020.
= We fêted her for 2020’s most important contribution to the club.

Ĉiun decembron la klubo havas bankedon. Ne festenon, nur bankedon.
= Each December the club has a banquet. Not a party, just a banquet.

festivalo = festival, as in “film festival.” See festi.

festono = festoon. See festi.

f ∧ fi ∨

Fik! = Fuck! See ve.

fina = final, last, ultimate; eventual. See lasta, eventuala.

fini = to finish (something, doing something). See halti.

*-Finnujo and Finnio are theoretically possible, but I have never seen them.

finno = Finn.
A citizen of Finland is a finno. This avoids confusion with fino = “end.” Similarly the country is Finnlando, not finlando = “the end place.” The Finnish-derived word Suomio is gradually coming into limited use as the name of the country, but Finnlando remains more usual.*

firmo = firmao = firm, business, enterprise.

The two terms are equivalent. Firmao has gradually become more common.

f ∧ fl ∨

flata = flattering. See plata.

flaŭro = flora. See floro.

floro = flower.
Not to be confused with:

flaŭro = flora.

La flaŭro de la suda poluso produktas malmultajn florojn.
= The flora of the South Pole produces few flowers.

f ∧ fo ∨

fojo = occasion, time (as in “one time” or “next time”). This gives the adverb foje, which usually means “once” but for some speakers means “sometimes.”
Not to be confused with:

tempo = time (as in “time of day”).

Du fojojn ŝi penis ŝteli la kronon.
= Twice she tried to steal the crown.

Dufoje ŝi penis ŝteli la kronon.
= Twice she tried to steal the crown.

Foje mi vizitis ŝin.
= I once visited her.

Foje oni diras, ke li estos prezidento.
= Sometimes they say he’ll be president.

See also okazo = “opportunity, occasion” under instanco.

fondo = founding, from fondi = to found.
Not to be confused with:

fondaĵo = fondumo = charitable foundation.

fonduso = fund, charitable trust.

fonto = (1) fountain, spring; (2) font, origin.

fontano = fountain.

fundo = bottom, base, underside; innermost part (think of “profound”).

fono = background.

literaro = typefont.

Li fondis fonduson.
= He established a trust.

En la fono videblis bela fontano.
= A beautiful fountain was visible in the background.

Ŝi estas fonto de misinformo.
= She is a font of misinformation.

Ĝi loĝas en la fundo de la maro.
= It dwells at the bottom of the sea.

Italio famas pro fontanoj.
= Italy is famous for fountains.

La fondumo “Amikoj de Komiksoj” prizorgas la monon de la fonduso “Zam-Balzam.”
= The Friends of Comic Books foundation manages the money in the Zam-Balm fund.

fonduso = fund, charitable trust. See fondo.

fono = background. See fondo.

fonto = (1) fountain, spring; (2) font, origin. See fondo.

for = distant, away.
This particle functions as an adverb or a prefix. Because it is not formed in -e like derived adverbs, it does not require a final -n when it shows movement:

Ŝi iris for ĉagrenite.
= She went away, vexed.

Li forestos morgaŭ.
= He’ll be away tomorrow.

Irena nun estas for.
= Irene is away at present.

La kasisto foruzis la tutan kason por frivolaĵoj.
= the treasurer used up the whole treasury on frivolous things.

Li formanĝis ĉiujn bonbonojn.
= He ate up all the candies.

La termitoj formaĉis la kolonon kaj faligis la pontaĉon.
= The termites chewed away the column and made the decrepit bridge fall.

f ∧ fr ∨

fraŭl(in)o = miss/master. See also sinjor(in)o.

Since the distinction between fraŭlino and sinjorino usually depends upon whether a woman is married (as we’ll see below) the word fraŭlo, although not normally used as a title for men (any more than “master” is in English), is sometimes used to mean “bachelor,” regardless of age:

“Ĉu li estas fraŭlo?” ŝi demandis, kaŝante malfacile sian intereson.
= “Is he single?” she asked, concealing her interest with difficulty.

*-Cf. madame in French, dama in Spanish, or nüshi in Chinese.

For some Esperantists, sinjorino and fraŭlino straightforwardly distinguish married from unmarried women. For others, however, it would be insulting to address a middle-aged or elderly woman as fraŭlino, and she is sinjorino regardless of marital state.* Sinjorino in that sense corresponds to American “ma’am,” in addition to its use in the sense of English “Mrs,” although it is much higher in frequency than “ma’am.”

In America we have traditionally tended to use “Miss” for stage names, regardless of the age or marital status of the stage star. That usage is not standardized in Esperanto.

*-Some people, not understanding that usage is not standardized and does not always correspond to what they are used to, are prepared to make that ground even shakier!

Accordingly: you are always on shaky ground selecting between fraŭlino and sinjorino if you don’t know what a woman prefers to be called.* One logic that is at least defensible, if rarely followed, is to use sinjorino for all women on the grounds that sinjoro is usually used for all men. A few speakers simply say -ino, which is potentially interpretable as a bit abrupt. Another approach is to call a woman samidean(in)o = “fellow-Esperantist” and leave it at that. (If she is not a fellow-Esperantist, you presumably would not be speaking Esperanto to her!)

frazo = sentence.
Not to be confused with:

frazero = phrase.

esprimo = expression, turn of phrase, phrase.

Ĉu ĉiu frazo havas verbon?
= Does every sentence have a verb?

La tuta frazero funkcias adverbe.
= The whole phrase functions as an adverb.

Post prepozicio venas substantiva esprimo.
= After a preposition comes a noun phrase.

“Fundamenta Krestomatio!” povas esti blasfema esprimo.
= “Basic Chrestomathy!” can be a swear word.

Ŝia esprimo de amo al mi vere kortuŝis, sed indikis nur, ke ŝi estas malsata ĉar la aliaj katoj formanĝis jam ĉion.
= Her expression of love for me was really touching, but indicated only that she was hungry, since the other cats had already eaten everything up.

freneza = crazy. See ravi.

frunto = brow. See brovo.

f ∧ fu ∨

fundo = bottom, base, underside; innermost part. See fondo.

funebro = mourning (sentiment or costume). Hence: funebra = dismal, mournful, gloomy; funereal.

Kiam okazos la funebra rito?
= When will the funeral take place?

Vi portas funebron, eble pro la patrino?^z
= You wear mourning, perhaps for your mother?

La ĉinoj funebras tri jarojn pro la gepatroj.
= The Chinese go into mourning for three years for their parents.

Ili dungis tri funebristojn.
= They hired three professional mourners.

Akceptu mian funebran saluton!^z
= Accept my condolences.

Viaj kantoj ĉiam estas tiel funebraj!
= Your songs are always so gloomy!

Li funebre ridetis.
= He smiled mournfully.

furzi = to fart. See farti.

fuŝi = to mess (something) up. Hence: fuŝ! = rats! See ve.

Ŝi probable fuŝos la ekzamenon.
= She’ll probably screw up the exam.

Vi tute fuŝis mian vesperon.
= You have utterly ruined my evening.

Lia amafero ege fuŝiĝis.
= His love affair went utterly to pieces.

Ho fuŝ! Mi forgesis la monon.
= Oh bother! I forgot the money.

Sometimes fuŝ- is used almost as a prefix:

Mi estas fuŝfotografisto.
= I am an amateur photographer.

Savu nin de fuŝtenoruloj.
= Save us from amateur tenors.

futuro = future tense (in grammar). See eventuala.

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g ∧ ga ∨

*-A gejo is a homosexual person. The root gej- does not normally occur as a prefix, but, mostly when joking, a few Esperantists use gej-- as a prefix anyway, meaning homosexual. Thus the contrast between, say, gekamaradoj and gejkamaradoj depends entirely upon the contrast between -e- and -ej-. If you are one of those people who has been inattentively pronouncing them the same way all these years, be prepared to use the suffix ge- with circumspection or else get around to correcting your pronunciation!

gaja = jolly, festive, high spirited, carefree.
Not to be confused with:

geja = homosexual, gay.*

La gaja junulo plej amis junulinojn blondajn.
= The carefree youth loved young blondes best.

Ŝi vestis sin en gajaj koloroj.
= She dressed in cheerful colors.

Gaja gejo estis li.
= He was a carefree gay guy.

Ili estas gegejoj. Ankaŭ ŝi estas geja.
= They are gays. She is also gay.

La riĉaj emeritoj gaje dancadis sur la ferdeko kiam subite ekpluvis.
= The wealthy retirees were happily dancing on deck when it suddenly began to rain.

gajni = earn or win (money).

Most Esperantists use this verb to mean “earn.” Dictionaries tend to ignore that sense, even though it accounts for by far the most occurances of gajni in actual speech. A few speakers prefer to use lukri = “to earn,” thereby reserving gajni for the specific sense of winning money, especially in a lottery. The term perlabori was used in earlier Esperanto to mean “earn” but is now largely obsolete.

Li gajnis po 40.000 pesetojn semajne.
= He earned/won 40,000 pesetas each week.

Li lukris po 40.000 pesetojn semajne.
= He earned 40,000 pesetas each week.

Mi aĉetis loterian bileton kaj jes gajnis!
= I bought a lottery ticket and actually won!

gardi = to guard; keep.
Not to be confused with:

ŝirmi = shield, protect, guard.

protekti = protect, especially through one’s influence or authority.

Caution: Gardi has a much wider range of meaning than English “guard,” importantly including the idea of keeping. However, it means specifically keeping something without damaging it. There is no exact Esperanto equivalent of “keep” with the English implication of ownership. Other Esperanto words that overlap with “keep” include teni = hold, reteni = retain, and konservi = preserve.

Skatoleto en kiu oni tenas cigarojn estas cigarujo.^z
= A box in which one keeps cigars is a cigarbox.

Li tenas hoteleton en Halifakso.
= He keeps a hotel in Halifax.

Gardu la tombon, por ke oni ne ŝtelu la kadavron kaj juvelojn!
= Guard the tomb so that no one will steal the body and jewels!

Ŝirmu la infanon kontraŭ la malvarma vento.
= Guard the child against the cold draft.

La rabokaptistoj tenadas ankoraŭ la aviadilon kaj pasaĝerojn.
= The hijackers are still holding the plane and passengers.

Vi rajtas gardi la libron; mi ne plu bezonas ĝin.
= You may keep the book; I don’t need it any more.

Bonvolu reteni la libron; mi jam finlegis ĝin.
= Please keep the book; I’ve finished reading it already.

Kiun reĝo protektas, tiun ministro elektas.^z
= [Him] whom the king protects, the minister selects.

Estu mia genio protektanta kontraŭ tiu ĉi fremdulo.^z
= Be my protecting genius against this stranger.

*-Benzene, or benzol, Esperanto benzeno, (or C6H6) is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid used to make DDT, detergents, insecticides, etc. Benzine, or ligroin, Esperanto ligroino, is a mixture of hydrocarbons, obtained by distillation and used as a solvent. Esperanto benzino is not benzine/ligroin, but rather gasoline, the common auto fuel.

gaso = gas (as against liquid).

benzino = gasoline (for automobiles).

ligroino = benzine.

benzeno* = benzene.

petrolo = petroleum.

gazo = gauze.

La mondo dependas de Arabio por petrolo.
= The world depends on Arabia for oil.

La kuracisto dependas de flegisto por gazo.
= The physician depends on nurse for gauze.

Lavu ĝin per benzeno.
= Wash it with benzene.

Aŭto kun benzino, kaj adiaŭ al edzino!
= A car well gassed and the wife is past.

gazetaro = “the press.” See ĵurnalo, medio.

gazeto = periodical, including magazines & newspapers. See ĵurnalo.

gazo = gauze. See gaso.

gazono = decorative lawn. See herbo.

g ∧ ge ∨

geja = homosexual. See gaja.

gepatroj = parents. See parenco.

gerilo = guerilla war.
Hence: gerilano gerilisto = guerilla. A partial synonym is makisano.
Not to be confused with:

gorilo = gorilla.

La gerilanoj mortigis gorilojn en la nacia parko kaj vendis la viandon.
= The guerillas killed gorillas in the national park and sold the meat.

*-Many speakers, following the spelling, pause between the two Ts to emphasize the distinction from the word geto. Geto, however, does not exist! (Japanese wooden clogs, called geta in Japanese and English, are getaoj in Esperanto.) See note at piĉo.

getto = ghetto.
This is usually written with a double T, although the pronunciation is not necessarily affected by this.* It means ghetto in the sense of “Jewish quarter.” American English now extends the word “ghetto” to refer to any sort of socially closed ethnic enclave. To speak of the “Black ghetto” in Los Angeles is not particularly metaphorical in English, but is more strongly so in Esperanto, where listeners might be led to believe that a negra getto was where Black Jews lived!
Not to be confused with:

kvartalo = a district of a city.

Zamenhof loĝis en la getto.
= Zamenhof lived in the ghetto.

Kiel li povis loĝi en lageto?
= How could he live in a lake?

Li parolis la jidan, la lingvon de tiu kvartalo.
= He spoke Yiddish, the language of that district.

Ĉu do la fiŝoj parolis la jidan?
= And so the fish spoke Yiddish then?

g ∧ gi ∨

*-Since human institutions differ so much from one society to another, there is no easy way to define terms for them that can be used rigorously in all places. As generic terms, elementa lernejo = “elementary school” usually refers to the first six years or so of school; mezlernejo = “middle school” usually refers to junior high school and high school, roughly grades 7 to 12 (and hence largely overlaps with gimnazio and liceo), and alta lernejo, literally “high school” corresponds with our college (grades 13 and above), sometimes implying technical college rather than university. The word universitato = “university” is used roughly as in English in most countries. Students at a university are called studentoj. Those at a lower level are referred to as lernantoj = “learners, pupils.”

giĉeto = sales counter, sales window. See kontoro.

gimnazio = high school (especially in German-speaking countries).
Not to be confused with:

liceo = high school (especially in French-speaking countries).*

gimnastikejo = gymnasium.

sportejo = gymnasium, stadium.

Gimnazianoj plej rapide progresas en Esperanto.
= High school kids make fastest progress in Esperanto.

En gimnastikejo mi studis Esperanton, ĉar oni ĉiam sidigis min.
= I studied Esperanto in the gym because they always made me sit down.

La gimnastikejo estis lia dua hejmo.
= The gym was his second home.

g ∧ gl ∨

glata = smooth. See plata.

g ∧ go ∨

goal = goal (in football or similar games). See celo.

gorilo = gorilla. See gerilo.

g ∧ gr ∨

graflando = territory ruled by a count, county. See kantono.

granda = large, big. See larĝa.

graso = oil, fat.
Hence: grasa = “containing a lot of fat or oil” (sometimes including fat people!).
Not to be confused with:

*-Fat people have conventionally been described by the word dika = “fat,” since saying they were grasaj could also mean they were greasy. Zamenhof sometimes used the word grasdika, which seems a bit much. Today the more polite (even conspicuously polite) terms korpulenta = “corpulent” and korpulentulo = “corpulent person” are considered preferable by some, but dika will probably remain the most common term.

dika = (1) thick; (2) stout, fat (of people or animals)*.

grejso = sandstone.

greso = grazing material, pasturage. Hence engresigi = “to put out to pasture.”

Skulptaĵo el grejso facile difektiĝas.
= A sandstone sculpture is easily damaged.

Li sendis la grasajn ŝafojn en la gresejon.
= He sent the fat sheep into the pasture.

Malmultaj dikiĝis per Esperantaj bankedoj.
= Few people have grown fat off of Esperanto banquets.

grejso = sandstone. See graso.

greko = a modern Greek.
Not to be confused with:

heleno = an ancient Greek.

La helenoj estis la prapatroj de la grekoj.
= The ancient Greeks were ancestors of the modern Greeks.

greso = grazing material, pasturage. See graso.

grilo = cricket. See lokusto.

grosieri = to sell wholesale. See debito.

groto = grotto. See kavo.

gruo = crane (both bird and machine). See krano.

g ∧ gu ∨

*-The word gufujo is usually said to derive from the nocturnal nature of a gufo = owl combined with the suffix -uj- (rather than the slightly more logical -ej-) because of the extended sense of -uj- as a homeland or even nest. However some detect a possible connection to English “goof off,” appropriately also making a gufujo a place for unprogrammed relaxation.

gufo = eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), a nocturnal owl.

gufujo = quiet meeting room open in the evening for tea and quiet conversation, especially in the context of Esperanto conventions, where it contrasts with the noisier trinkejo = bar. In on-line meetings, the bar contrast is lost and the word refers to a relaxed conversational group with no fixed topic of discussion.*

gurdo = barrel organ; hence: gurdisto = organ grinder. Contrast: orgeno.

Ambaŭ havas krankojn, sed gurdo estas tute mekanika; kontraste, vjelo estas vera muzikinstrumento.
= Both have cranks, but a barrel organ is entirely mechanical; a hurdy gurdy, in contrast, is a real musical instrument.

guverni = be governess or tutor.
Not to be confused with:

estri = govern, direct, manage. (Hence: estraro = board of directors.)

direkti = govern, direct, manage.

regi = to govern, direct, manage, reign over; to understand (a topic); to speak (a language) well. (Hence: registaro = government.)

La guvernanto vipis la infanon.
= The tutor whipped the child.

La registaro malpermesis politikajn opiniojn en retejoj.
= The government forbade political opinions in web sites.

Li ja bone regis la landon.
= Indeed he ruled the land well.

Ŝi mirinde regas la araban.
= She has a marvelous command of Arabic.

Vi tre bone regas la tajan.
= You have a very good command of Thai.

Li sukcese regis nek la infanon nek sian koleron.
= He succeeded in controlling neither the child nor his anger.

Mi estas la klubestro kaj mi do estras ĝin!
= I am the president of the club and so I run it.

Pardonu, sinjoro! Nur estraranoj rajtas voĉdoni.
= Excuse me, sir! Only board members may vote.

g ∧ gv ∨

gvardio = guard, as in “Swiss Guard” or “Red Guard”; a single guardsman is a gvardiano. Compare polico.

gvati = to stalk, spy on; to keep a secret watch for. Hence: gvatisto = watchman (secret or not).

Side sur la benko ŝajnlegante ĵurnalon, li ĵaluze gvatis sian fianĉinon kiam ŝi eliris la butikon.
= Sitting on the bench pretending to read a newspaper, he jealously spied on his fiancée when she left the shop.

Ŝi nomis sian hundon Gvaĉjo ĉar li atente gvatis ĉies movojn tra la antaŭa fenestro.
= She named her dog Watchee because he attentively monitored everyone’s moves through the front window.

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ĝ ∧ ĝe ∨

ĝeni = to inconvenience, disturb, hamper. Caution: sin ĝeni can mean to trouble oneself, but can ALSO mean to hold back, to be shy.

Tre ĝenas min ĝeni vin, sed ĉu vi povus finfine repagi la monon kiun vi elpruntis de me?
= It troubles me to inconvenience you, but could you finally replay the money you borrowed from me?

Daĉjeto promesis esti ĉi-foje perfekta anĝelo; vi povos prizorgi lin tute senĝene.
= Little Davey has promised to be a perfect angel this time; you can babysit him with no problems at all.

La libro promesis senĝenan lernadon de Esperanto, sed bedaŭrinde ĝi tuj ekbruliĝis kiam mi malfermis la kovrilon.
= The book promised effortless mastery of Esperanto, but unfortunately it burst into flame as soon as I opened the cover.

Ne ĝenu vin; mi povos mem trovi la mantelon.
= Don’t trouble yourself; I can find the hammer myself.

Ŝi sin ĝenis kvankam ŝi konis la ĝustan respondon.
= She held back even though she knew the right answer.

La infaneto estis tre sinĝena, malgraŭ vasta talento.
= The child was very shy, despite great talent.

Contrast: ĉagreni .

ĝentila = polite, genteel.
Not to be confused with:

milda = gentle, mild.

dolĉa = sweet, gentle; (of water) sweet, fresh, not salty.

Post la vespermanĝo, ŝia patro ĉiam fariĝis tre milda.
= After supper, her father always became very gentle.

Li ĝentile sed severe kondamnis la pekinton al la morto.
= He politely but severly condemned the sinner to death.

En la montoj ili trovis lagon dolĉan.
= In the mountains they found a freshwater lake.

Portu al mi aldonan bieron, dolĉulin’!.
= Bring me another beer, sweetheart.

ĝ ∧ ĝi ∨

ĝis = until, till; by; as much as.

Li restos ĝis morgaŭ.
= He’ll stay till tomorrow.

Mi lamentos ĝis vi revenos.
= I’ll lament till you return.

Ĝi devos esti preta ĝis morgaŭ.
= It will have to be ready by tomorrow.

Oni vendis ĝis mil biletojn.
= They sold as many as 1000 tickets.

Because ĝis can refer both to an endpoint in time ( ĝis morgaŭ = by tomorrow) and to an extent of time (ĝis morgaŭ = till tomorrow), some sentences are ambiguous.

Ŝi kantos ĝis la tagiĝo.
= She’ll sing by dawn. / She’ll sing until dawn.

Mi preparos la prelegon ĝis morgaŭ.
= I’ll prepare the speech by/until tomorrow.

If necessary, such sentences can be recast to avoid the preposition:

Ĉiu devas pagi la jarkotizon ĝis la 31a de decembro.
= Everyone must pay the yearly dues by/until the 31st of December.

Ĉiu devas pagi la jarkotizon plej laste la 31an de decembro.
= Everyone must pay the yearly dues by the 31st of December at the latest.

Ĉiu devas pagi la jarkotizon antaŭ la 1a de januaro.
= Everyone must pay the yearly dues before the 1st of January.

Neniu devos pagi la jarkotizon post la 31a de decembro.
= No one will need to pay the yearly dues after the 31st of December.

Ĝis is sometimes used to refer to space.

Ili flugis ĝis Tokio.
= They flew as far as Tokyo.

Ĝis is sometimes also used as a prefix:

Li estis ĝisosta esperantisto.
= He was an Esperantist down to his bones.

Mi perdis la ĝis-berlinan bileton.
= I lost the ticket to Berlin.

For some reason, one also finds frequent mistakes linked to the use of this word, even in books edited by reputable publishers:

La plimulto de la taskoj devas esti preta ĝis hieraŭ.
= The majority of the jobs must be ready by yesterday.
(Should be past tense?)

[La] densarbara zono kontinuas ĝis la okuloj povis atingi…
= The zone of dense trees continues until the eye could see.
(Shouldn’t it be ĝis tie kie = “as far as”? Shouldn’t tenses agree?)

Ĝis mi vivos mi helpos al vi kaj via familio.
= I shall help you and your family until I live.
(should be dum = “while”?)

For the foreseeable future, be prepared for occasional guesswork.

Ĝis (la) revido = Goodbye.
This is often shortened to ĝis la or simply ĝis. (A slangy equivalent in some circles is ĉaŭ.) It is common to replace revido with a specific time. If the speakers will never meet again or are parting for a very long time, they may say adiaŭ instead. This produces the verb adiaŭi = “to take leave of.” (The analogous verb ĝisi exists but is not common.)

Ĝis la revido, kara. Ni lunĉu refoje baldaǔ. Ĝis, Panjo.
= Goodbye, dear. Let’s get together for lunch again soon. Bye, Mama.

Ni renkontiĝos morgaǔ matene je la 9a. Ĝis morgaǔ!
= We’ll meet tomorrow morning at 9. Till tomorrow!

Ekflugante al sia nova kariero en Sandiego, la dancisto adiaǔis Pragon.
= Taking off for his new career in San Diego, the dancer bade Prague farewell.

Post la fina kanto de la vespero, la ĥoranoj ĝisis kaj reiris hejmen.
= After the last song of the evening, the choir members said goodbye and returned home.

ĝ ∧ ĝu ∨

*-The basic form is the verb korekti = “to correct.” Accordingly the adjective korekta ought to mean “corrective,” as in la korektaj procezoj = “the procedures for making corrections.” Korekta more often turns up with the English sense of “correct,” however, and doesn’t seem to bother anybody.

ĝusta = correct.
Not to be confused with:

justa = fair, just.

preciza = precise, exact.

precize = exactly, just.

korekta = relating to correction.*

tuj = immediately, just.

ĵus = a moment ago, just.

apenaŭ = barely, just.

nur = merely, just.

Ŝi estas la sola persono kiu ĝuste respondis.
= She is the only person who replied correctly.

Via kalkulo estas malĝusta—jen la eraro!
= Your calculation is incorrect—here’s the mistake!

La manlibro por mia nova komputilo ne estas sufice preciza pri la dosieroj kie troviĝas novaj dokumentoj.
= The instruction manual for my new computer is not precise enough about the folder where new documents are found.

Ĉu vi do postulas monon? Ĝuste.
= So are you then demanding money? Exactly.

La tribunalo estas ĉiam justa, ĉar ĝuste tiel la juristoj difinas justecon.
= The court is always just, since that is exactly how jurists define justice.

La sorĉisto ĵus envenis; venu tuj!
= The sorcerer just arrived; come quick!

Li donis al mi trinkmonon de nur kvin enoj!
= He gave me a tip of just five yen!

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h ∧ ha ∨

halo (1) = hall, large room.
Not to be confused with:

aŭreolo = halo (over the head of a saint or divinity in art)

haloo = halo (in astronomy)

alo = the side or wing of something, including an airplane, a building, or even a nose!

alero = awning, eave, or other roof overhang.

salo = salt.

Dum la pluvo ŝi staris sub la alero.
= In the rain she stood under the awning.

La danca halo estas en la alia alo.
= The dance hall is in the other wing.

Ĉirkaŭ la luno ni vidis haloon.
= We saw a halo around the moon.

Li portis aŭreolon, do mi sciis, ke li estas sanktulo.
= He was wearing a halo, so I knew he was a saint.

*-It is interchangeable in this usage with vulgar, rhymed catcalls. Because these other catcalls are noun phrases, halo may be evolving into a Chinese slang noun, meaning roughly “grubby foreigner.” I once heard a child say the Chinese equivalent of Jen revenas la halooj! = “Here come the hellos again!”

halo (2) = yoo-hoo; (by telephone) = hello?
Halo should be used sparingly. It is proper Esperanto only to answer the telephone. It is not used in ordinary conversation to mean “hello,” which is simply Saluton! The English word “hello,” from which halo is derived, has penetrated various other languages with a variety of meanings and connotations. In France allô is used to answer telephones and to precede announcements on public address systems. In Palestine halo is shouted urgently by cart-pullers at people they are about to run down. In India “hello” is used by street vendors to attract the attention of obviously foreign tourists to whatever they are selling. In Taiwan halo is shouted at tourists by small children to see if they will react (like tapping the glass on the snake cage in the zoo).* In short, outside the English-speaking world, halo is rarely very polite, and Esperantists from some countries may not take well to being hailed with a hearty halo. Others may try to hail you that way without thinking it particularly insulting. Give them the benefit of the doubt (or a piece of your mind if you must), but avoid this word yourself except for telephones.

haloo = halo (in astronomy). See also halo.

halti = come to a halt.
Not to be confused with:

ĉesi = to cease (doing something).

ĉesigi = to discontinue (something).

fini = to finish (something, doing something).

Haltu, ŝtelisto!
= Stop, thief!

Haltis nekonata sorĉisto ĉe la palaca pordego.
= There stopped an unknown sorcerer at the great gate of the palace.

Ĉu li neniam finos prelegi?
= Will he never stop talking?

Ĉesu kanti, mi petegas!
= Stop singing, I beg of you!

Ili decidis ĉesigi sian laboron por Volapuko.
= They decided to stop their work for Volapük .

Ili ĉesis labori por Volapuko.
= They stopped working for Volapük .

hano = an ethnic Chinese.
Not to be confused with:

ĥano = a khan (leader of Turkish, Tartar, or Mongol tribe).

kano = cane, as in sugar cane.

Ĉinio = China.
China has, like most nations, a number of ethnic groups living in it, of which by far the most numerous are the hanoj = Han, or “ethnic Chinese.” In principle a ĉino is a citizen of China and a hano is a member of the Han ethnic group anywhere in the world. In practice, the term ĉino predominates in both senses when the distinction is not the focus of discussion.

In very early Esperanto, China was sometimes called Ĥinujo and Chinese were ĥinoj.

La ĥano batigis la hanon per kano.
= The khan had the Chinese caned.

En Vankuvero loĝas multaj ĉinoj.
= Many Chinese live in Vancouver.

En Vankuvero loĝas multaj hanoj.
= Many Chinese live in Vancouver.

haro = a hair.
To speak of a group of hairs (the hair on one’s head, the fur on an animal, etc.) one must use the plural haroj = “fur, hair” or the collective hararo = “fur, hair.” See also pelto, vila.

Kombu viajn harojn; vi timigus furion!
= Comb your hair; you’d frighten a fury!

Mia frato Esav estas ja homo harkovrita, kaj mi estas homo glata.^z
= My brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

havi = to have. Hence: havigi = make available, provide. A common expression is havigi al si = to acquire, procure. Note that not having something is often expressed with manki = to be lacking.

Dolĉulin’, mankas al mi mono. Ĉu vi povus prunte havigi al mi iomete nur ĝis lundo?
= Sweetheart, I don’t have any money. Could you let me have a little bit on loan just till Monday?

Vi neniam havas monon kiam ni estas en restoracioj!
= You never have money when we are in restaurants!

En la kuirejo, ŝi nevidate havigis al si du pomojn
= In the kitchen she appropriated two apples without being seen.

Kontraǔ kvin mil dolaroj mi povos havigi al vi la demandojn du tagojn antaǔ la Timiga Ekzamenego, sed bedaǔrinde la tagon mem mi jam estos en Brazilo.
= For five thousand dollars I can provide you with the questions two days before the Great Frightening Exam, but unfortunately I will already be in Brazil by the day itself.

Mi havis la demandojn kiujn mi aĉetis, sed ili ne estis tiuj de la Timiga Ekzamenego.
= I had the questions that I had bought, but they weren’t the ones on the Great Frightening Exam.

h ∧ he ∨

heleno = an ancient Greek. See greko.

helpi = to help.
In Esperanto you can help someone (or something) or you can help to someone (or something). However, it is most usual to help to someone. The following examples are all from Zamenhof.

Helpu al la sinjoro porti lian keston.^z
= Help the gentleman carry his chest.

Li tre multe helpis al la vastiĝo de tiu lingvo.^z
= He greatly helped the spread of that language.

Min helpu forigi la erarojn.^z
= Help me get the errors out.

Pli helpas guto da feliĉo ol barelo da saĝo.^z
= A drop of happiness helps more than a barrel of wisdom.

Kion helpas al mi la beleco?^z
= What good does beauty do me?

Kontraŭ doloro helpas bona humoro.^z
= Good spirits help against grief.

Ĉiuj esperantistoj volonte helpados la organizantan komitaton per siaj konsiloj.^z
= All Esperantists will willingly help the organizing committee with their advice.

herbo = grass (one plant or blade of grass).
A field or lawn of grass is herbaro.
Not to be confused with:

drogherbo = medicinal herb.

aromherbo = seasoning herb.

gazono = razeno = decorative lawn.

h ∧ hi ∨

hipoteko = morgage.
Not to be confused with:

hipotezo = hypothesis

histriono = Third-rate comedian. See pajaco.

h ∧ ho ∨

horizontala = horizontal. See plata.

h ∧ hu ∨

humoro = humor (emotional state, body fluid). See humuro.

humuro = humor (wit).
Not to be confused with:

humoro = humor (emotional state, mood; body fluid).

Post la bankedo okazis distra programo ege humura.
= After the banquet came a hugely humorous variety show.

Al miaj recenzistoj ĉiam mankas senso de humuro.
= My reviewers never have a sense of humor.

Li estas persono de melankolia humoro.
= He is a person of melancholy moods.

Mia avino ankoraŭ kredas je medicino de la kvar humoroj.
= My grandmother still believes in medicine based on the four humors.

Troviĝas du ridetoj en la vort’ “humuro’; sed en “humor’” nur unu, kaj apude moro.
= Two smiles (the letter U) are in the word “humuro,” though in “humoro” only one plus one exotic custom (moro).

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ĥ ∧ ĥa ∨

ĥano = a khan (leader of Turkish, Tartar, or Mongol tribe). See hano.

ĥino = a Chinese (obsolete). See hano.

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i ∧ im ∨

implici = imply.
Not to be confused with:

impliki = implicate, entangle.

Tiu argumento implicas la neekziston de Dio.
= That argument implies the non-existence of God.

La drako sin implikis en la reto.
= The dragon entangled itself in the net.

Ne impliku min en via krimo!
= Don’t implicate me in your crime!

impliki = implicate, entangle. See implici.

imposti = to tax. See taksi.

i ∧ in ∨

inciti = to incite, stir up, agitate. See inici.

influi = to affect, influence. See afekti.

inici = to initiate, indoctrinate (into a society).
Not to be confused with:

inciti = to incite, stir up, agitate.

iniciati = to initiate, be the first to do.

Li ankoraŭ ne estas inicito. Ne parolu antaŭ li!
= He is not an initiate yet. Don’t talk in front of him!

Kiu iniciatis la uzon de la esprimo “krokodili”?
= Who initiated the use of the expression “to crocodile”?

… por mi estis ĝojo inciti la humdon
= … for me it was fun to rile up the dog.

Li incitis grandan popolamason, kiu bruligis ŝian palacon.
= He stirred up a great crowd, which fire to her palace.

instanco = authority, the authorities (normally used in the plural).
Not to be confused with:

ekzemplo = example, instance.

okazo = occasion, opportunity, instance.

La instancoj faras nur malrapide decidojn.
= The authorities make decisions only slowly.

Vi devas montri vian pasporton al ses instancojn ĉi tie.
= You have to show your passport to six authorities here.

Tio, ke li bruligas eĉ akvon estas ekzemplo de lia kuira malkapablo.
= That he burns even water is an example of his culinary incompetence.

Ŝi neniam havis okazon lerni la sanskritan.
= She never had the chance to study Sanskrit.

Mi kaptis la okazon kaj ŝtelis la du anasojn.
= I took advantage of the opportunity and stole the two ducks.

insulti = yell at, abuse, revile.
Not to be confused with:

ofendi = insult, offend.
(The medical technical term “insult” is vundi in Esperanto.)

Ŝia silento ofendis min.
= Her silence insulted me.

Li laŭte insultis la hundidon kiam ĝi urinis sur lian ŝuon.
= He yelled loudly at the puppy when it wet on his shoe.

interesi = to interest.
The noun intereso is also used for a financial interest, conflicts of interest, etc.
Not to be confused with:

interezo = interest rate.

Tio interesis ŝin.
= That interested her.

Tio interesis al ŝi.
= That interested her.

Antaŭ ol subskribi, nepre enketu pri la interezo.
= Before signing, be sure to ask about the interest rate.

Lin interesas la lingvoj.
= He’s interested in languages.

Min interesegas amori.
= Making love fascinates me.

Mi interesiĝas pri hundoj.
= I’m getting interested in dogs.

Mi havas financan intereson en ŝia kantado, kara, sed ŝi mem ne interesas min,
= kredu min.
= I have a financial interest in her singing, my dear, but she herself does not
= interest me, believe me.

Caution: Some English speakers try to build a calque on “I am interested in…” by saying Mi estas interesata pri…. That is not wrong, but it makes unnecessarily awkward Esperanto:

Clumsy: Mi estas interesata pri fikologio.
Better: Min interesas fikologio.
= I am interested in phycology (the study of algae).

interezo = interest rate. See rento.

inviti = invite.

Caution: For most speakers to inviti someone implies paying that person’s bill; for others it does not.

Ni ĉiuj iras por provi la kafejon “Verda Bovo”; bonvolu akompani nin. Mi invitos vin.
= We’re all going to try out the “Green Bull” coffee house; please come with us. My treat.

Ŝi invitis min iri kun ŝi al Malajzio venontjare, sed bedaŭrinde mankas al mi sufiĉe da mono por tiaj vojaĝoj.
= She invited me to go to Malaysia with her next year, but unfortunately I don’t have enough money for such trips.

i ∧ ir ∨

iri = go. See veni.

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j ∧ ja ∨

jaketo = (1) book jacket, (2) baby’s jacket. See jako.

jako = jacket (as in bed jacket, ski jacket, smoking jacket, etc., usually for a man).
Not to be confused with:

jaketo = (1) book jacket; (2) baby’s jacket; (3) little jako.

smokingo = smoking jacket.

jaĥto = yacht.

ĵako = electrical or telephone jack.

ĵaketo = (1) morning coat; (2) a woman’s suit jacket.; (3) little ĵako.

La libro pri ĵakoj havas belan jaketon.
= The book on jacks has a nice jacket.

Li portis plumpan smokingon.
= He was wearing an inelegant smoking jacket.

Ĉu mi lasis jakon ĉe vi?
= Did I leave a jacket at your place?

jam = already. See ankoraŭ, ekde.

j ∧ je ∨

je = at.
The preposition je can often be translated “at,” but really has no stable English equivalent. It is defined as the preposition to use when you need a preposition and none of the other ones is suitable. Since Esperanto prepositions have fairly closely defined meanings, an all-purpose, “meaningless” preposition like je is arguably a necessary fudge factor. On the other hand, its very flexibility makes overuse of je stylistically painful. In its article on je, the Plena Ilustrita Vortaro quotes Zamenhof’s 1894 recommendation against excessive use of je. Modern usage is quite sparing of this preposition, perhaps even excessively so.

An important use of je is in mentioning time:

Je kioma horo vi revenos?
= What time will you return?

Mi revenos je la 6a.
= I’ll be back at 6.

Je la fino de la tago
= At the end of the day

A handful of other usages are also conventionalized:

Mi ne kredas je Dio.
= I don’t believe in God.

Ŝi malsanas je la okuloj.
= She has something the matter with her eyes.

Ties karnon mi disŝiros je pecetoj.
= I shall rip his flesh to bits.

Ŝi prenos lin je la mano.
= She will take him by the hand.

Ŝi estis graveda je filo.
= She was pregnant with a son.

Mi estas riĉa je pensoj, ne je mono.
= I am rich in thoughts, not money.

*-If we used de after mokado it would seem as though the previous generations had been doing the mocking.

Finally, je sometimes helps in resolving a cluster of de’s — see fare de:

Ĉion ĉi elpensis la historio-skribantoj pro mokado je* la foririntaj generacioj.
= All this the writers of history thought out because of their mocking of previous generations.

jen = “here is,” “behold.” The word jen, followed by a noun or pronoun, constitutes a complete sentence:

Jen patro, tiu nedorminto.
= There’s a father, the one who hasn’t slept.

Jen tiu damninda koko! = There’s that damned rooster!

The verb estas can follow it optionally with no change in meaning:

Jen estas patro.
= There’s a father.

Jen estas tiu damninda koko! = There’s that damned rooster!

Jen is also what you say when you hand somebody something, comparable to English “here”:

Ĉu vi dezirus kafon? Jen! = Would you like coffee? Here!

Vi deziras mian monon? Jen do! = You want my money? Here it is then!

Jen can also be followed by a complete sentence:

Jen la nova patro ŝanĝas la fetoran vindotukon!
= Ah, behold the new father changing the stinking diaper!

Of course if you are actually someone who goes around saying “behold,” jen is the word to use:

Mi ekrigardis lian ĉambron kaj jen la Ĥaoso de ĉiaj Ĥaosoj!
= I looked into his room, and behold! The Chaos of all Chaos!

jes = yes. Even as ne can be placed before a verb to negate it, so jes is occasionally placed before a verb to stress it (just as in Spanish). The closest English equivalent to this usage may be “do too”:

Mi jes ŝatas manĝi kukon! = I do too like eating cake!

This usage is quite rare in Esperanto, however. When one wants to stress the verb it is much commoner to use ja, corresponding roughly to English “indeed”:

Mi ja ŝatas manĝi kukon.
= I do indeed like eating cake.

j ∧ ju ∨

ju pli … des pli… = the more … the more….

Ju pli ŝi manĝas, des pli ŝi amas manĝi.
= The more she eats, the more she likes eating.

Ju pli mi legas, des pli interesa fariĝas la libro.
= The more I read, the more interesting the book becomes.

Ju pli multe da mono havas vi, des pli malŝparema vi estas.
= The more money you have, the more spendthrift you are.

Ju malpli dika estas fraŭlino, des pli ŝin ŝatas fraŭloj. Krom Alberto.
= The thinner a girl is, the more the fellas like her. Except Albert.

Des pli is occasionally used alone:

Kiam vi estas kolera mi amas vin des pli.
= When you are angry, I love you all the more.

Gravas des pli, ke vi ne forgesu.
= It’s all the more important that you not forget.

juna = young. Hence: junulo = youth (young person), juneco = youth (being young), maljunulo = old person
See olda. As in most languages, teenagers are usually included in the general term junuloj. If greater precision is required, dekkelkjarulo(j) is sometimes used. For membership in international youth organizations, the upper and lower age limits vary widely, but seem to settle on about 12 at the lower end and 30 at the upper end. Note that “old” when referring to something that is not new is simply malnova.

juro = jurisprudence, the science of law.
Not to be confused with:

*-But to swear as in “cuss and swear” is blasfemi or sakri.

ĵuro = an oath. Hence: ĵuri = to swear (an oath).*

ĵurio = a jury.

Laŭ nia juro oni ĵuras antaŭ la ĵurio.
= In our law one swears before the jury.

justa = fair, just. See ĝusta.

justeco = justice, just-ness. See justico.

justico = justice, the administration of law, the judicial system.
Not to be confused with:

justeco = justice, just-ness (from justa = fair).

La justico tie estas maljusta.
= The judicial system there is unfair.

See also ĝusta.

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ĵ ∧ ĵa ∨

ĵaketo = (1) morning coat, (2) a woman’s suit jacket. See jako.

ĵako = electrical or telephone jack. See jako.

ĵaluza = possessive, jealous.
Not to be confused with:

ĵaluzio = jalousie window.

envii = to envy.
Note that Esperanto routinely observes a distinction between ĵaluza = “afraid of losing someone or something or unwilling to share someone or something” and envia = “wishing to have what belongs to someone else.” (In colloquial English, “jealous” tends to get used in both senses, although purists do sometimes insist on the same distinction that Esperanto makes.) In addition, in Esperanto, ĵaluz- is normally an adjective root, while envi- is usually a verb, and one may envii a person or thing:

Nia Dio estas ĵaluza Dio.
= Our God is a jealous God.

Li estas ĵaluza pri siaj libroj.
= He is possessive about his books.

Mi ĵaluzas mian hundon.
= I am possessive about my dog.

Mi envias mian hundon.
= I envy my dog.

Kial vi estas tiel ĵaluza pri via edzo?
= Why are you so possessive/jealous of your husband?

One can envy someone “for” (pro or pri) something or you can envy something “to” (al) somebody:

Mi envias ŝin pro ŝia voĉo.
= I envy her for her voice.

Mi envias ŝian voĉon al ŝi.
= I envy her her voice.

Mi envias mian patron pri la fotoalbumo.
= I envy my father his photo album.

Mi envias la fotoalbumon al mia patro.
= I am envious of my father’s photo album.

ĵ ∧ ĵe ∨

ĵeti = to throw. See disponi.

ĵeto = a pitch, toss, throw. See piĉo.

ĵ ∧ ĵu ∨

ĵuri = to swear (an oath). See juro.

ĵurio = a jury. See juro.

ĵurnalo = newspaper.
(As a mnemonic, think of French jour = “day,” as in “daily newspaper.”)
Some speakers prefer the expression tagĵurnalo = “daily newspaper.”
Not to be confused with:

revuo = magazine, journal, technical journal.

gazeto = periodical, including magazines and newspapers.
Hence: gazetaro = “the press.” (In practice gazet- is used almost exclusively in this expression.)

magazino = popular magazine (for amusement).

magazeno = (1) powder magazine (for explosives); (2) warehouse; (3) department store, supermarket.

Ĉiun matenon la ĵurnalo enhavas la saman novaĵon.
= Each morning the newspaper has the same news in it.

La ĵurnalo kunportas magazinon ĉiun dimanĉon.
= The newspaper has a magazine with it each Sunday.

Ni kalkulis, ke ni abonas preskaŭ kvindek revuojn!
= We figured out that we subscribe to almost 50 magazines!

Eĉ en la plej grandaj magazenoj oni ne trovos librojn volapukajn.
= Even in the largest department stores you won’t find Volapük books.

Esperante krevigi pulvomagazenon, la stulta soldato detruis la kuirejon de sia taĉmento.
= Hoping to blow up a powder magazine, the stupid soldier destroyed his detachment’s kitchen.

ĵuro = an oath. See juro.

ĵus = a moment ago, just. See ĝusta.

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k ∧ ka ∨

k = common abbreviation for kaj = and.

kabei = to give up Esperanto or the Esperanto movement.
The term derives from the name of Kazimierz Bein, pen-named Kabe, who contributed importantly to Esperanto in the early years of its existence but eventually abandoned the movement.

Dum tridek jaroj ŝi penis instrui Esperanton al sia edzo, sed fine kabeis.
= For thirty years she tried to teach her husband Esperanto, but finally quit the movement.

kabineto = office, study. See ŝranko.

kaj…kaj… = both…and…

Kaj li kaj ŝi estas esperantistoj.
= Both he and she are Esperantists.

Mi kaj amas kaj malamas lin.
= I both love and hate him.

Li estas kaj forta kaj bela.
= He is both strong and handsome.

kalkuli = to calculate, to count up, to count on, to depend on (= je) (someone).

kalumnio = libel, slander. See libelo.

kamero = closet; chamber in a machine (as “combustion chamber”). See ŝranko.
Not to be confused with:

fotilo = camera, especially a still camera.

kamerao = movie camera; videocam.

kano = cane, as in sugar cane. See hano.

*-When the word “county” refers to the territory governed by a count (grafo), it is a graflando. Lacking grafoj, the counties Americans live in are best called kantonoj.

kantono = Swiss canton; American county.*

kaprico = caprice, change of will.
Not to be confused with:

kapriĉo = caprice (in music).

Ŝi ludis la kapriĉojn de Paganini.
= She played Paganini’s caprices.

Ŝi lin vizitis laŭ kaprico.
= She visited him on a whim.

kapriĉo = caprice (in music). See kaprico.

kapsiko = bell pepper; chili pepper. Not to be confused with:

pipro = pepper, peppercorn; off-color joke.

papriko = paprika; red pepper.

Li aldonis salon kaj pipron eĉ antaŭ ol li gustumis la viandon, kiu jam estis spica kaj ege tro sala.
= He added salt and pepper even before he tasted the meat, which was already spicy and much too salty.

Ŝi amas ĉiajn kapsikojn, ju pli akrajn, despli bone.
= She likes all peppers, the hotter the better.

Kapsikoj malpli akras se oni forprenas la semojn.
= Peppers are not as hot if you remove the seeds.

Blanka pipro estas nur senŝeligita nigra pipro. Ruĝa pipro nomiĝas papriko.
= White pepper is merely shelled black pepper. Red paper is called paprika.

La spicaj piproj de la frataĉoj celis ofendi la episkopon.
= The naughty brothers’ off-color jokes were calculated to offend the bishop.

kara = expensive; dear, precious.
Not to be confused with:

kompato = sympathy; compassion, forgiveness.

simpatia = agreeable, compatible (of people).

En Svisio ĉio estas tre kara.
= In Switzerland everything is very expensive.

Al mi tre kara estas la hundo.
= The dog is very precious to me.

Kara estas dono en minuto de bezono.^z
= A gift is dear indeed given in time of need.

Ŝia edzo estas tre kara.
= Her husband is very dear.

Tiu ĉi lando havas la simpation de la mondo.
= This country has the world’s affection.

Ŝi vidis … eksterordinare simpatian viron.^z
= She saw an extraordinarily pleasant man.

Ili vivis en mirinda simpatio.^z
= They lived in wonderful harmony with each other.

Mi tute ne kompatas krimulojn.
= I have no sympathy for criminals.

Dio kompatu nin, pekulojn.^z
= God forgive us sinners.

Ĉu mi kompatu eĉ krokodilojn?
= Should I have compassion even for crocodiles?

In some contexts, especially direct address, kara loses much of its force and becomes merely polite, informal, or slightly ironic (partly depending upon the personality and language background of the speaker):

Karaj gesamideanoj
= Ladies & Gentlemen

Kara s-ino Zhang!
= Dear Ms. Zhang,

Ne forgesu, kara, ke vi ŝuldas monon al mi.
= Don’t forget, sweetheart, that you owe me money.

Kisu min, kara; milfoje kisu min.
= Kiss me, darling; kiss me a thousand times.

kaso = cash register, till; coin bank; fund. Hence: kasisto = treasurer.

Neniam sufiĉas en la kluba kaso por estrarkunsido ĉe la Franca Riviero.
= There’s never enough in the club treasury for a board meeting on the French Riviera.

Daĉjeto enkasigis la moneron en la porkkaseton kaj nomis ĝin sia “kaso por dolĉaĵoj”.
= Little Davey deposited the coin in the piggy bank and called it his “candy fund.”

Oni diras, ke nia ekskasisto nun lukse loĝas ie en Brazilo.
= They say our former treasurer is now living luxuriously somewhere in Brazil.

See also kazo.

katuno = cotton (cloth). See kotono.

kavao = kava. See kavo.

kavo = hole, cavity, sunken spot, eye-socket, dimple. Hence: kava = “hollow” or “sunken.”
Not to be confused with:

kavao = kava (both the plant and the drink made from its root).

poro = tiny hole, pore. Hence: pora = “ porous.”

truo = hole.
(A hole through something is a truo. A cavity on the surface of something is a truo or kavo. A cavity within something is generically a kavo.)

kaverno = cave, especially a natural cave.

groto = small cave, especially a decorated or artificial cave.

strigo en kavo de arbo^z
= an owl in a hole in a tree

Liaj okuloj preskaŭ elŝoviĝis el siaj kavoj.^z
= His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

la ĉarmaj kavetoj de fraŭlinaj vangoj^z
= the charming dimples of girlish cheeks

Lia tombo estos simpla kavo en la tero.
= His tomb will be a simple hole in the earth.

Kaverno estas subtera kavo.
= A cave is an underground cavity.

La serpento reiris en sian truon.
= The snake went back into its hole.

En mia monujo estas granda truo kiu nomiĝas imposto.
= In my pocket there is a large hole named taxes.

En okcidenta Ĉinio ni vizitis groton plenan de antikvaj pentraĵoj.
= In western China we visited a cave full of ancient paintings.

En Francio ni vidis groton kie aperis la Virgulino.
= In France we saw a cave where the Virgin had appeared.

Kiel infano en Tongo li trinkis kavaon.
= As a kid in Tonga he drank kava.

kazo = case (in law or medicine;=); case (in grammar).
Not to be confused with:

kazino = casino

Mia edzo ne povos ferii en junio ĉar li estas avokato kaj havos gravan kazon tiam.
= My husband won’t be able to vacation in June because he is a lawyer and will have an important case then.

Perdinte ĉiom de sia mono en kazinoj, li fariĝis kazostudo pri financa stulteco.
= Having lost all of his money in casinos, he became a case study in financial stupidity.

Nia klubo estis kazostudo pri malefika varbado.
= our club was a case study in ineffective recruitment.

En Esperanto oni indikas la akuzativan kazon per la sufikso -N.
= In Esperanto we show the accusative case with the suffix -N.

See also kaso.

k ∧ ke ∨

kep = See kiel eble plej.

k ∧ ki ∨

kiel eble plej = as … as possible.
In writing, the abbreviation k.e.p. is not unusual. In extremely slangy Esperanto, the abbreviation is occasionally spoken as an acronym, kep:

Kuru kiel eble plej rapide.
= Run as fast as possible.

Bonvolu faksi ĝin al ni k.e.p. baldaŭ.
= Please fax it to us as soon as possible.

Kuru kep rapide.
= Run as fast as possible.

Ni iru kep baldaŭ.
= Let’s go as soon as possible.

k ∧ kl ∨

klaki = click, clank, clatter.
Normally intransitive, klaki is often transitive when used to refer to clicking (on) an Internet link.
See kraki

La kvar moneroj muzike klakis en lia poŝo kaj li siflade akompanis ilin.
= The four coins clanked musically in his pocket and he accompanied them by whistling.

La lingvisto esploros la fonologion de tiel nomitaj “klak-lingvoj” de sudokcidenta Afriko.
= The linguist will explore the phonology of the so-called “click languages” of southwestern Africa.

Simple alklaku la belegan hipertekstan ligilon en via retumilo kaj ni sendos al vi mirindan viruson. Kuraĝu! Klaku ĝin!
= Simply click the beautiful hypertext link in your browser and we’ll send you a marvelous virus. Go for it! Click it!

klaso = sort, species, class; class in school. See speco.

klaŭno = Circus clown. See pajaco.

klera = wise, well informed, cultivated, educated. See eduki.

klopodi = to make efforts, set about, endeavor to, take steps to. Klopodi usually implies a degree of concern or anxiety, and can even extend to the idea of “fussing over” something.
Not to be confused with:

peni = to try, strive, make an effort.

strebi = to strive.

provi = to try out, test.

entrepreni = to undertake.

Li klopodis pri sia familio.
= He worked for [the good of] his family.

Ŝi klopodis por fondi Esperanto-klubon.
= She worked to found an Esperanto club.

Ŝi penis fondi Esperanto-klubon, sed nur ĝenis la aliajn papagojn.
= She tried to found an Esperanto club, but only annoyed the other parrots.

Ŝi provis fondi Esperanto-klubon kaj konstatis, ke ĉiu havas intereson.
= She tried founding an Esperanto club and found that everybody was interested.

Ne necesas klopodi pri mi.
= There’s no need to worry about me.

Klopodi pri ĉies favoro estas plej malsaĝa laboro.^z
= To work for everyone’s favor is a foolish labor.

Compare zorgi, celo.

k ∧ ko ∨

kolero = anger. See angoro.

komandi = control, command. See kontroli.

kombi = to comb or brush (through something, especially hair). Hence: kombilo = a comb; kombo = a combing out.
Not to be confused with:

rasti = to rake up, comb up. Hence: rastilo = rake; rasto a raking out/up.

balai = to sweep, mop. Hence: balailo = broom; balao = a clean-up.

ŝvabri = to wetmop. Hence: ŝvabrilo = a wetmop; ŝvabro = a mopping up.

Each of these terms except ŝvabri is of far more general application in Esperanto than the English translation would suggest. There are some more specific names for particular kinds of tools. Most important among them perhaps is broso = “brush.” Since broso is already a noun, there is no need to call it a “brosilo” to make it an instrument. (Naturally one can convert it to a verb, brosi. The act of brushing must be brosado. It is more Esperanto however to say that one kombas per broso.)

Li kombis la harojn.
= He combed his hair.

Li kombis al si la harojn per broso.
= He brushed his hair.

Ŝi kardis kaj poste kombis la lanon.
= She carded and then combed the wool.

Ili rastis la foliojn.
= They raked up the leaves.

Ŝi rastis zorge la laŭsojn el la hararo de la infano.
= Carefully she combed the lice from the child’s hair.

Li rastis fojnon per forkego.
= He gathered the hay with a pitchfork.

Li balais la straton antaŭ sia butiko.
= He swept the street before his shop.

Li balais la sablon de sur la breto.
= He swept the sand off of the shelf.

Li balais la plankon per franĝbalailo.
= He mopped the floor.

Ŝvebrante la plankon, li glitis kaj falis.
= He slipped and fell mopping the floor.

komisiito = chair of a committee, special delegate in charge of something, etc.
(From komisii = “to commission, charge with responsibility.”)

komodo = chest of drawers.
Not to be confused with:

truseĝo = toilet seat, commode (literally: hole-seat).

Li gardas la vestaĵojn en la komodo.
= He keeps his clothes in a dresser.

La infano ĉiam timis tion, ke li eventuale falos en la truseĝon.
= The kid was always afraid that he might fall into the commode.

kompato = sympathy; compassion, forgiveness. See kara.

kompensi = make up for (something), offset, compensate for. (One kompensas something, not someone.)
Not to be confused with:

rekompenci = repay (a kindness or service). (One may rekompenci something or someone.)

La asekura kompanio kompensos la perdon.
= The insurance company will compensate the loss.

La interesa enhavo kompensas la plumpan stilon.
= The interesting content offsets the gauche style.

Vi devos pagi kompenson de 3,000 eŭroj!
= You’ll have to pay compensation of 3,000 euros.

Li pagis monon kiel kompenson pro la difektita telefono.
= He paid money in compensation for the broken telephone.

Oni detruis la domon por nova ŝosejo kaj kompensetis ĝin al ni.
= They destroyed the house for a new highway and compensated us a bit for it.

Kiel mi povos rekompenci tiun helpeman knabon?= How can I repay that helpful boy?

Dio rekompencos vin per la feliĉo de tiuj, kiujn vi amas.^z
= God will repay you with the happiness of those you love.

komplezo = favor, kindness. Hence: komplezi = to be good enough to, to oblige.

Mi komplezos al vi ankaŭ en ĉi tiu afero.^z
= I’ll do this for you too.

Dankon pro via afabla komplezo.
= Thanks for your kindness.

Ŝi estra tre kompleza persono.
= She is a very obliging person.

komuniki = to communicate, report.
In Esperanto you always communicate something, usually to somebody.

Ŝi ne komunikis vian mesaĝon al mi.
= She didn’t pass on your message to me.

koncerni = to concern, relate to, affect.

Ŝiaj aferoj tute ne koncernas vin!
= Her affairs don’t concern you at all!

La romano koncernas tri fratojn.
= The book is about three brothers.

kondamno = a verdict and/or sentence (in court).
“Verdict” is also expressed as juĝaĵo. See also sentenco.

kondiĉo = condition (of a contract).
(In recent years, this has been sliding towards the additional mean of “situation,” or “state of things.”)
Not to be confused with:

stato = condition, situation, state (of being).

ŝtato = nation, state (including states of the USA).

Je 93 jaroj, mia avino estas en bona sanstato sed babilaĉas senĉese.
= At 93, my grandmother is healthy but natters incessantly.

La ŝtatestro prelegos pri la ŝtatostato.
= The governor will speak on the state of the state.

Mi kisos vin kondiĉe, ke vi antaŭe nek fumos nek manĝos ajlon.
= I’ll kiss you on condition that you don’t smoke or eat garlic beforehand.

konduki = conduct (an orchestra).
Not to be confused with:

kondukti = conduct (an electrical current).

konduktoro = conductor (on a train or bus).

konduti = conduct (oneself well or badly - intransitive verb!).

La birdo malbone kondutis malpurigante la kapon de la prezidento.
= The bird behaved badly, dirtying the head of the president.

La infanoj bone kondutis dum la meso.
= The children behaved well during mass.

Lia onklino estas kondukisto de granda orkestro, sed Daĉjeto deziras fariĝi konduktoro en bruega metroo.
= His aunt is the conductor of a large orchestra, but Little Davey wants to become the conductor of a noisy subway.

kondukti = conduct (an electrical current). See konduki.

konduktoro = conductor (on a train or bus). See konduki.

konduti = conduct (oneself well or badly - intransitive verb!).See konduki.

koneksa = logically related.
Not to be confused with:

konekti = connect (e.g., an electrical circuit)

Li konektis la draton al la ŝaltilo.
= He connected the wire to the switch.

Historio kaj arĥeologio estas koneksaj studoj.
= History and archaeology are related studies.

La unua fakto koneksas al la dua.
= The first fact connects with the second.

konekti = connect. See koneksa.

*-As far as I can establish, this obsolescent word was slightly derogatory in days when “ordinary” clothing was made to measure.

konfekcio =mass production of ready-made clothing; a ready-made garment.*
Not to be confused with:

sukeraĵo = confection, candy.

Ideala onklo ĉiam portas en la poŝo sukeraĵojn por la genevoj.
= In his pocket an ideal uncle always carries candies for nephews and neices.

Mia onklo portis konfekciojn ĉiam de malĝusta grandeco.
= My uncle always wore discount house clothes of the wrong size.

Mia onklo konfekcias vestojn.
= My uncle mass-produces clothing.

kongreso = convention; congress.

Mi ĉeestos kongreson de malfamaj verkistoj.
= I’ll attend a convention of unkown writers.

Mia edzino estas kongresano.
= My wife is a conventioneer.

Mia edzino estis kongresano.
= My wife is a member of Congress.

koni = to know, be acquainted with. Hence: ekkoni to meet for the first time.
Not to be confused with:

scii = to know, be aware of (a fact)

povi = to know how to, to be able to (do something).

scipovi = know how to (more specific form of povi). See also studi, rekoni, renkonti.

Koni min estas ami min!
= To know me is to love me.

Feliĉe venas la aŭtobuso; mankas tempo por ekkono.
= Fortunately the bus is coming; there is no time to meet you.

Mi konas la nomon, sed ne la homon.
= I know the name, but not the person.

Neniu scias ĉion.^z
= No one knows everything.

Mi scias lokon kie oni vendas maldecajn varojn.
= I know of a place where they sell indecent stuff.

Mi ne diris, ke mi konas la lokon, nur ke mi scias ĝin.
= I didn’t say I knew it well, only that I knew of it.

Ĉu vi konas lian patrinon?
= Do you know his mother?

Mi scias, ke ŝi estas tre maljuna.
= I know that she is very elderly.

When talking about knowing languages, both koni and scii (and scipovi) are used, more or less interchangeably, with Zamenhofan precedents for both koni and scii. Current taste seems to favor koni for languages.

Mi ne scias la hispanan.^z
= I don’t know Spanish.

… koni la lingvon rusan.^z
= to know the Russian language

Ĉu vi scipovas la turkan?
= Can you speak Turkish?

Ŝi estas la lasta kiu konas la familian lingvon.
= She is the last one who knows the family language.

konkurenco = competition. See also konkuri.

konkuri = to compete.

Rajtas konkuri nur membroj de la klubo
= Only members of the club may compete.

Li havas konkurantajn interesojn.
= He has competing interests.

Mi ne deziras konkuri kontraŭ/kun vi.
= I don’t want to compete with you.

Konkuri is a term of very broad application. Specialized kinds of konkuro are:

ludo = game.

konkurso = contest (with judges and rules).

konkurenco = competition (especially commercial or political)

loterio = drawing, lottery.

Gajnis Argentino en la olimpika konkursaro.
= Argentina won in the Olympic games.

Malplaĉas al mi la konstanta konkurenco de kapitalismo.
= I don’t like the constant competition of capitalism.

Ŝi gajnis flugbileton en loterio.
= She won a plane ticket in a drawing.

Ŝi gajnis stipendion en konkurso de violono.
= She won a scholarship in a violin contest.

*-Drawings are distinguished from lotteries in American law, with implications for tax exempt organizations, but the distinction is not made in Esperanto. Indeed, most Americans are probably hard pressed to tell the difference even in English.

In my dialect of English, a drawing is a kind of contest.* Not so for most Esperantists, who distinguish carefully between a loterio where you win by chance and a konkurso where you have to be good at something.

konkurso = contest. See also konkuri.

konsekvenco = logical result. Hence: konsekvenca = logical, consistent; orthodox.
Not to be confused with:

rezulto = effect, result.

sekvo = fall-out, subsequent event, consequence.

In general, konsekvenco refers to what follows logically; rezulto refers to what is caused; and sekvo refers to what follows in time.

Frenezulo parolas nekonsekvence.
= A madman speaks nonsensically.

Per siaj senkonsekvencoj refutiĝas la doktrino.
= The doctrine is refuted by its own inconsistencies.

Tie ĉi la lingvo germana ĉesas esti konsekvenca.^z
= At this point the German language ceases to be logical.

La rezulto de ŝia konduto estis enkarcerigo.
= The consequence of her behavior was incarceration.

Post diplomiĝo pri la medicino li senkonsekvence studis la juron.
= After graduation in medicine, he, oddly, studied law.

Katastrofoj venis sinsekve.
= Catastrophes came one after another.

konstanta = permanent, regular.

Post la disfalo de la laktodentoj, kreskas la konstantaj dentoj.
= After the baby teeth fall out, the permanent teeth grow in.

Li ludas konstante la saman muzikon.
= He constantly plays the same music.

Ŝi estas tre konstanta amikino.
= She is a very faithful friend.

Ŝi estas konstanta kliento en la biblioteko.
= She is a regular patron of the library.

Nia klubo havas konstantan oficon de instruisto.
= Our club has a permanent office of teacher.

Ni havas konstantan rendevuon je la 5a en la trinkejo.
= We have a standing engagement at five in the bar.

konstati = to prove, discover, find out, scientifically demonstrate. See studi.
This useful word is much more frequent in Esperanto than its translations in English are:

Ni konstatis, ke Esperanto facilas.
= We discovered Esperanto was easy.

Mi konstatos, ĉu ŝi mensogis.
= I’ll find out whether she was lying.

Mi telefonis kaj konstatis, ke la flugo okazos je la 7-a atm.
= I telephoned and learned that the flight will leave at 7 am.

Li konstatis, ke la bronzoj venis de la dinastio Zhou.
= He showed that the bronzes came from the Zhou dynasty.

konto = account. Hence: kontisto = accountant, bookkeeper; konteltiro = account statement.
Caution: Despite the existence of the word kontisto, there is no verb konti, except as a derivation from kontisto; kontadi means to act as an accountant. A more common term for a bookkeeper is librotenisto.

Vi ne havas konton en nia banko, sinjorino. Nur nia kontuloj rajtas havi senpagan vifion.
= You do not have an account in our bank, madam. Only our account holders can have free Wi-Fi.

La kelnero skribis la ŝuldon en lian konton.
= The waiter put the debt on his tab.

Vidinte sian konteltiron el Visa, li svenis.
= He fainted when he saw his Visa statement.

La gangstero reguligis la konton kun sia ekskolego, kies kadavron oni trovis en kanalo ekster la urbo.
= The ganster settled his account with his former colleague, whose body was found in a canal outside the city.

See also kontanto.

kontanto = ready cash.

Ni donos rabaton se vi pagos per kontanta mono.
= We’ll give you a discount if you pay cash.

Mi pagis kontante kaj dum mi atendis li malaperis.
= I paid cash, and while I was waiting he disappeared.

See also konto.

kontoro = office (especially in a factory), work station (clerical workplace).
Although the distinction between kontoro as a work station or carrel and oficejo where an salaried employee routinely works seems potentially useful, modern Esperanto tends to make almost exclusive use of oficejo to designate any place where office work is done.
Not to be confused with:

ofico = office (a profession or position).
Hence: oficejo = a professional office (place)

giĉeto = sales counter, sales window.

vendotablo = sales table, sales counter.

nombrilo = counter, numbering device.

Li havas komfortan seĝon en la kontoro.
= He has a comfortable chair in the office.

Inter la kuirejo kaj la manĝejo troviĝis giĉeto, kiel en banko.
= Between the kitchen and the dining room was a counter, as in a bank.

Ŝi staris ĉe la pordo kun nombrilo por scii kiom venos da gastoj.
= She stood at the door with a counter to know how many guests would come.

Sur la vendotablo kuŝis porkaĵo, ŝafaĵo, kaj hundaĵo.
= On the counter lay pork, mutton, and dog meat.

See also ŝranko.

kontroli = to inspect, check, check out; supervise.
Not to be confused with:

komandi = control, command.

direkti = guide, direct (as questions, one’s feet, a hose, or a tourist).

Oni prezentu la pasporton por kontrolo ĉi tie.
= You need to present your passport for inspection here.

Ho! Kontrolu la naĝkostumon!
= Wow! Check out the bathing suit!

Li komandos tutan taĉmenton.
= He will command a whole detachment.

Ŝi komandis al li surgenuiĝi.
= She commanded him to kneel.

Li direktis siajn okulojn ĉiam al ŝi.
= He always directed his eyes to her.

Oni direktis la pafon al lia koro.
= The shot was directed at his heart.

Forgesinte la muzeon mem, la ĉiĉerono direktis la turistojn tuj al la butiko.
= Having forgotten about the museum itself, the guide directed the tourists immediately to the shop.

See also guverni.

konvena = fitting, wellsuited, appropriate; seemly.
Not to be confused with:

oportuna = convenient, handy.

kunveno = meeting (literally kun-veno = “together-coming”).

renkonti = to meet, run into (someone).

taŭga = suitable, valuable (for something).

See also taŭgi.

Nur la kulero estas konvena por la supo, Daĉjeto, ne la forko.
= Only the spoon is suitable for soup, Davey, not the fork.

Renkontiĝo kun vi hodiaŭ estas ja tre oportuna, aĉa ŝuldulo!
= A meeting with you today is indeed quite convenient, wretched debtor!

Nur lundo oportunas por la kunveno de la birdrigarda klubo.
= Only Monday is convenient for the birdwatching club meeting.

Konvene ni kunvenos dum via vizito.
= As it happens, we’ll be meeting during your visit

Mi aĉetis la skribmaŝinon kiel oportunon por li.
= I bought the typewriter as a convenience for him.

Komputilo estas pli oportuna ol skribmaŝino, kaj preskaŭ samkosta.
= A computer is handier than a typewriter, and almost the same price.

Ruĝaj ŝuoj por funebro certe estis ne tre konvenaj.^z
= Red shoes certainly were not very seemly for a funeral.

Ruĝaj ŝuoj ne taŭgas kiel manĝaĵo.
= Red shoes are no good as food.

kopio = imitation, reproduction, photocopy.
Not to be confused with:

ekzemplero = copy (e.g., of a book).

ekzemplo = example.

numero = copy, edition (of a magazine); number.

Mi ankoraŭ ne ricevis la aprilan numeron de Esperanta Mondo.
= I still have not received the April copy of Esperanto World.

Ĉu mi rajtos fari fotokopion de via ekzemplero?
= May I photocopy your copy?

korekta = corrective. See ĝusta.

korespondi = to exchange letters or other messages. See respondi.

koto = muck, mud. See mukozo.

kotono = cotton (fiber).
Not to be confused with:

katuno = cotton (cloth).

k ∧ kr ∨

kraĉi = to spit.
Not to be confused with:

kraki = to crack, to clatter (intransitive)

Liaj dentoj ĉesis kraki nur kiam li kraĉis.
= His teeth stopped clattering only when he was spitting.

La sekaj folioj krakis sub miaj piedoj.
= The dry leaves cracked under my feet.

krajono = pencil.
Not to be confused with:

paŝtelo = crayon.

Infanoj skribu per krajonoj, sed faru bildojn per paŝteloj.
= Children should write with pencils but draw pictures with crayons.

kraki = to crack, to clatter (intransitive). See kraĉi, klaki.

krakmaĉa = crisp, crunchy. See krispa.

kramfo = cramp (medical condition).
Not to be confused with:

*-Krampoj in printing are rondaj (…), rektaj […], angulaj <…>, or kurbaj {…}. Some people call them all parentezoj, but a parentezo is properly the parenthetical material that goes between them.

krampo = Clamp, bracket; parenthesis.*

parentezo = parenthetical expression; side comment.

Ŝi suferis kramfon kaj necesis operacii.
= She suffered a cramp and it was necessary to operate.

La ĥirurgo lasis en ŝi krampon.
= The surgeon left a clamp in her.

La krampo kaŭzis al ŝi pluajn kramfojn.
= The clamp caused her more cramps.

Skribu la vorton inter krampoj.
= Write the word in parentheses.

Tio skribita inter krampoj estas “parentezo”.
= What is written between parentheses is a parenthetical expression.

Parenteze, ĉu vi jam manĝis?
= By the way, have you eaten yet?

krampo = Clamp, bracket; parenthesis. See kramfo.

krano = faucet.
Not to be confused with:

kranio = skull, cranium.

*-There exist people who object to using gruo both for a bird and for a construction machine, insisting that the industrial crane should be called an argano. Technically, an argano is a drilling hoist, not really a crane, so this does not solve the “problem” very well. Ordinary mortals use gruo both for bird and for machine, don’t seem to get very confused, and lead full and productive lives despite using one word in two meanings.

gruo = crane (both bird and machine).

argano = drilling hoist, crane (machine only).*

Gruoj flugis super niaj kapoj.
= Cranes flew over our heads.

Mi ne kapablas ripari la kranon. Ni devos novan aĉeti.
= I can’t repair the faucet. We’ll have to buy a new one.

Oni uzis gruon por levi la gigantan kranon super la enirejon.
= They used a crane to lift the giant faucet over the entry.

Kial vi diras “gruo”? Ne temas pri birdo, diable! Temas pri “argano”!
= Why do you say “crane”? It’s not a bird, dammit! It’s a “hoist”!

Kial vi diras “argano”? Ne temas pri argano, diable! Temas pri “gruo”!
= Why do you say “hoist”? It’s not a hoist, dammit! It’s a “crane”!

Jen la kranio de la antaŭa abato.
= Here’s the skull of the former abbot.

kredi = to believe. See pensi.

krevi = burst, explode, pop apart. Hence: krevmaizo = popcorn.

krispa = crinkled, wavy.
Not to be confused with:

*-Caution: Krusto can also be the scab or “crust” that forms on a healing wound. Be circumspect in complimenting your host’s “crusty” potatoes!

krusta = crisp (from krusto = crust*).

facilrompa = crisp, fragile.

krakmaĉa = crisp, crunchy.

vigla = attentive, alert; crisp, brisk, smart.

La krisphara fraŭlino maĉis krake krakmaĉan lardon.
= The wavy-haired girl crunchingly munched the crunchy bacon.

Nur plenkreskuloj kapablas taksi bongusta la pankruston.
= Only adults can imagine the crust of the bread tastes good.

*-Occasional antic wags insist that one can krokodili only in one’s own language and that speaking yet a different language instead of Esperanto is to aligatori = “to alligator,” but this nicety is rarely recognized in practice. Other wags, yet more antic, maintain that speaking a language native to neither party but also not Esperanto is kajmani = “to cayman.” Some people have peculiar ideas.

krokodilo = (1) crocodile; (2) a person who speaks a language other than Esperanto during Esperanto get-togethers, despite knowing Esperanto.*

Manĝis krokodilo la kompatindan raneton.
= The crocodile ate the poor little frog.

Horloĝon manĝis la krokodilo bonan svisan.
= The crocodile had eaten a good Swiss clock.

Sobeko, kun kapo de krokodilo, estis dio pri morto.
= Sobek, with a crocodile head, was a god of death.

Kiam ajn ŝi pritraktas monon, tiam ŝi ekkrokodilas.
= Whenever she talks about money she lapses into her bizarre native tongue.

Bonfartu malkrokodileco!
= Let incrocodility thrive!

krusta = crisp. See krispa.

k ∧ kt ∨

ktp = kaj tiel plu and so forth. This abbreviation is occasionally actually pronounced ko to po and produces the slang acronym kotopoaĵoj = “miscellany.”

k ∧ ku ∨

*-Note that today kulturo/-i principally refers to something socio-cultural, while kultivo/-i refers to something biological, but, as in other Latinate languages, there is an historical heritage of the two roots overlapping slightly. Thus you will still find people who use kulturi to refer to raising plants or animals or who speak of an educated person as kultivita.

kulturi = to raise, develop, cultivate.
Not to be confused with:

kultivi = to cultivate (crops); to till (soil).*

eduki = to tame, domesticate; to cultivate (a talent); to breed; to bring up, rear, educate.
(See also dresi.)*

instrui = to teach (someone or something); to teach how (to do something).

Ŝi kultivis novan varion de orkideo.
= She developed a new variety of orchid.

**-The curious and rather charming verb erudi “to teach deeply” seems to exist as a back-formation from erudita = “erudite.” I have never heard it used except with slightly comic intent.

Oni edukadis min kiel idealiston.^z
= I was raised as an idealist.

Niaj kongresoj povas veki entuziasmon, sed ne eduki ĝin.
= Our conventions can awaken enthusiasm, but not cultivate it.

Li edukis leonon, kiu fine loĝis en lia domo.
= He tamed a lion, which finally lived in his house .

Mi neniam plu penos eduki vulturon.
= I shall never again try to tame a vulture.

Mi neniam plu penos instrui vulturon.
= I shall never again try to teach a vulture.

Mi promesas neniam plu instrui Esperanton al papago.
= I promise never again to teach Esperanto to a parrot.

Kiu instruis al Daĉjeto uzi blovpafilon?
= Who taught Little Davey to use a blowgun?

Ili kultivis la saman bienon jam dum generacioj sed neniam rimarkis la groton.
= They had cultivated the same spread for generations but never noticed the cave.

Li kultivis magian pirujon.
= He raised a magic pear tree.

Ŝi estas tre bone edukita persono.
= She is a very cultivated person.

kun = with, in the sense of “together with” or “along with,” never in the sense of “by means of,” which is per.

Ŝi vojaĝis kun sia edzo.
= She travelled with her husband.

Ŝi vojaĝis per ŝipo.
= She travelled by ship.

Li ludis kun siaj infanoj.
= He played with his kids.

Ili ludis per pafiloj.
= They played with guns.

Oni kantas kun amikoj.
= You’re singing with friends.

Oni kantas per la buŝo.
= You sing with your mouth.

Avoid using kun to correspond with English “with” when you mean “against.” Esperanto kun is likely to be taken literally to mean “alongside”!

La litovoj batalis kontraŭ la poloj.
= The Lithuanians fought with (against) the Poles.

La litovoj batalis kun la poloj.
= The Lithuanians fought alongside the Poles.

Daĉjeto ĉiam friponis kiam li ŝakludis kontraŭ sia fratineto.
= Little Davey always cheated when he played chess with his little sister.

Similarly being in love “with” may be reciprocal (literally “with” = kun) or may be unrequited (love “towards” = al rather than “with”). Not everybody worries about this fine a distinction, but when in doubt about matters of love, al may be the better choice.

Ŝi enamiĝis kun sia dentisto.
= She fell in love with her dentist [and he with her].

Ĉiuj fraŭlinoj enamaĝis al la bela stelulo.
= All the girls fell in love with the handsome star.

(Naturally marriage has to be reciprocal, so, unlike love, engagement and marriage —fianĉiĝo and geedziĝo— are kun a partner!)

kunveno = meeting (literally “together-coming”). See konvena.

kuraci = heal, treat (an illness or wound). Hence: kuracisto = physician.

Estante ĉiam malsanema, ŝi dekretis, ke ŝia filo Roberto studu medicinon kaj fariĝu kuracisto, prefere riĉega.
= Being ever sickly, she decreed that her son Robert should study medicine and become a doctor, preferably an extremely rich one.

Roberto ne povis kuraci vundojn ĉar li svenemis kiam li vidis sangon, kaj do fariĝis malriĉa poeto.
= Robert couldn’t treat wounds because grew faint when he saw blood, so he became an impoverished poet.

See also medicino.

kurioza = strange, inscrutable.
Not to be confused with:

scivolema = curious, wanting to know. (From sci- = “know” plus vol- = “desire.” Hence: scivoli = “to wonder.”)

Lia murdo estis kurioza afero.
= His murder was a strange business.

Scivolemo mortigis la katon; sed kion scivolis la kato?
= Curiosity killed the cat, but what did the cat want to know?

Ŝia patrino estos tre scivolema pri lia bankkonto.
= Her mother will be very curious about his bank account.

Mi scivolas, ĉu ŝi memoros min.
= I wonder if she’ll remember me.

Ĉu ne estas kurioze kiom da tempo necesas por ellerni “facilan” lingvon kia estas Esperanto?
= Isn’t it odd how much time is required to learn an “easy” language like Esperanto well?

kurso = course (made up of lessons). See speco.

k ∧ kv ∨

kvartalo = district, quarter. See getto.

kvazaŭ = like, as, as though, as if, as if it were, seemingly.
This word does a lot of work in Esperanto, but tends to be underutilized by English speakers because it has no single, simple translation.

La ĉielo aspektis, kvazaŭ ĝi estus balaita.^z
= The sky appeared as though it had been swept.

La patro frapis sur la pordo, kvazaŭ li estus fremdulo.^z
= The father rapped at the door, as though he were a stranger.

La lando aperis al li kvazaŭ abunda fruktoĝardeno.
= The country appeared to him as though it were a beautiful orchard.

En sia mano ŝi sentis kvazaŭ brulantan fajron.
= In her hand she felt something like a burning fire.

[Li] prezentis kvazaŭ belegan tapiŝon, kiu invitis sidi.^z
= [He] presented something like a beautiful carpet, which invited one to sit on it.

Ili paroladetis, kvazaŭ dezirante moki iun alian.^z
= They nattered on as though wanting to make fun of someone else.

Estas ia kvazaŭa trompo, se oni silentas pri la vero.
= It’s practically a kind of fraud if one keeps quiet about the truth.

Oni povis ekkoni el tio kun kvazaŭa certeco la skalon de la astroj.
= You could tell from this with near certainty the scale of the stars.

Ŝi estis lia kvazaŭedzino.
= She was his concubine.

For sentences 1 and 2, many American Esperantists would say kiel. That is not wrong, just overworked. (If you read early Esperanto works, you will find a couple of other uses of kvazaŭ that have fallen into obsolescence.)

kvesti = ask for contributions.
Not to be confused with:

misio = quest, mission. Hence: misiejo = mission building or complex.

serĉo = search, pursuit.

La Esperanta Societo bezonis monon; do mi kvestis ĉe la najbaroj.
= The Esperanto Society needed money, so I took a collection among the neighbors.

La agento havas sekretan mision.
= The agent has a secret mission.

Ni vizitis la misiejon de Capistrano.
= We visited the Capistrano Mission.

Li kvestas por la preĝejo.
= He’s asking for contributions for the church.

Ŝi serĉas monon por aĉeti novan komputilon.
= She is looking for money to buy a new computer.

Lin obsedis serĉo al la Sankta Pokalo.
= He was obsessed by the quest for the Holy Grail.

Return to top.

l ∧ la ∨

*-The verb lardi means to put bits of bacon on other meat before cooking it, e.g., lardita ŝafofemuro = “larded leg of mutton.” From it comes the metaphor of decorating something unnecessarily: Li lardis sian prelegon per seksismaj ŝercaĉoj por plaĉi al la trivialuloj. = “He larded his address with sexist cracks to please the lowlifes.”

lardo = bacon* .
Not to be confused with:

porkograso = lard.

Mi ĉiam manĝas lardon kun ovoj.
= I always eat bacon and eggs.

Ŝi kuiras ĉion en porkograso kun cepoj.
= She cooks everything in lard with onions.

larĝa = wide.
Not to be confused with:

granda = large, big.

Ŝi naskis bebon surprize grandan.
= She bore a surprisingly large baby.

La ĉambro estis larĝa sed mallonga.
= The room was wide but short.

Li havas larĝajn ŝultrojn, sed ĝenerale malgrandajn ostojn.
= He has broad shoulders, but generally small bones.

lasi = to leave, to let.

Ŝi lasis la infanon en la aŭto.
= She left the kid in the car.

Li forlasis Tajbejon.
= He left Taipei.

Lasu min sola!
= Leave me alone!

*-To avoid two accusatives here, one could also say lasu al ŝi kisi lin or lasu, ke ŝi kisu lin. Ever more common is use of the verb permesi = “to permit” rather than lasi: Permesu al ŝi kisi lin.

Lasu ŝin kisi lin!
= Let her kiss him!*

Note that in Zamenhof’s usage (though rarely today) it was possible after lasi to use an active verb as though it were passive:

Mi lasis min moki.
= I allowed myself to be mocked.

Li ne lasis esplori sin.
= He did not allow himself to be explored.

Malmultaj lasis sin kapti.
= Not many let themselves be captured.

A rather inelegant Germanic usage occasionally is found:

Vi lasis min voki.
= You had me called.
(Better: Vi vokigis min.)

lasta = recent.
Hence: lastatempe = antaŭ nelonge = recently.
Hence: plej lasta = most recent, last (in a series).
Not to be confused with:
fina = final, last

En lasta gazeto mi legis pri ŝia granda sukceso.
= In a recent magazine I read about her great success.

Multe pluvis lastatempe.
= It’s rained a lot recently.

La fina ludo okazis nur tre laste.
= The last game took place only very recently.

La ĝisosta movadisto ĉiutage atendis la Finan Venkon, sed ĝi neniam alvenis.
= The dyed-in-the-wool [lit.: “to the bones”] member of the movement daily awaited the Final Triumph, but it never came.

See also eventuala.

laŭ = according to; along. Laŭ is used to mean “along” in reference to long, narrow things like streets and rivers. It means “according to” in other contexts. In some sentences “according to” is not a very idiomatic English translation, however:

laŭ la rivero
= along the river

laŭ la vortaro
= according to the dictionary

laŭ la mastro
= according to our master

laŭ li
= according to him

laŭ mi
= in my opinion/experience

l ∧ le ∨

leki = to lick. See liki.
Not to be confused with:

lekanto = marguerite (a large daisy).

En la hasto de la vivo nepre paŭzu por leki la lekantojn.
= In the hurry of life, be sure to take time to lick the daisies.

Li estas lekanto-lekanto!
= He is a daisy-licker!

lekanto = marguerite (a large daisy). See leki.

lernanto = student. See studento.

lernejo = school (a place where learning takes place). See skolo.

lerni = learn, study.
Lerni contrasts with studi = “study,” but the relationship between the two words is different in English and Esperanto. See studi.

lerta = quick to learn, adept. See adepto.

lertulo = a quick learner, clever person. See adepto.

l ∧ li ∨

libelo = dragonfly.
Not to be confused with:

kalumnio = libel.

Libelo flugis super la florbedo, kiel fluganta drako.
= The dragonfly flew over the flower bed like a flying dragon.

Ni povos procesi kontraŭ vi pro via kalumnio kaj gajni milionojn da dolaroj; bonvolu do kalumniu nin!
= We will be able to sue you over your libel and gain millions of dollars, so please do libel us!

libro = book. See buklo.

liceo = high school. See gimnazio.

ligroino = benzine. See gaso.

liki = to leak.
Containers leak (likas), but note that when a liquid leaks out of something it likiĝas. (A better verb in that case may be elflui = “to flow out.”) See also leki = to lick.

Likis la malnova kaldrono.
= The old kettle leaked.

Akvo likiĝis tra la truo.
= Water leaked out through the hole.

Studentoj likiĝis el lia klaso.
= Students leaked out of his class.

liva = left (~ maldesktra).

l ∧ lo ∨

loĝi = to dwell (somewhere). See vivi.

lokalo = place, locale.
Not to be confused with:

loko = place.
Loko is equivalent to the English “place” in all its broad range of senses. Lokalo refers to a place in the more specific sense of a part of town, a quarter, a site or to part of a building intended for a particular purpose. Kvartalo is specifically a district in a city or town. See also getto.

loko = place. See lokalo.

lokusto = grasshopper.
Not to be confused with:

akrido = locust.

grilo = cricket.

Akridoj en pestego formanĝis ĉiujn herbojn de la lando.
= A plague of locusts devoured all the grasses of the land.

Lokustoj lope leviĝante loze ludas ĉi-loke.
= Grasshoppers rising in circles play loosely here.

En Disneyland mi ĉiam tagmanĝas ĉe “Grill” de la Grilo!
= In Disneyland I always lunch at Jiminy’s Grill.

lordo = lord (British nobility). Hence: lordino = “lady.” See sinjoro.

loterio = drawing. See also konkuri.

l ∧ lu ∨

ludo = game. See also konkuri.

lukri = to earn, gain; to win. See gajni.

lupo = wolf. See vulpo.

*-The spelling matĉo for a sporting match exists to avoid confusion with maĉo = “chewing.” For most speakers there is no detectable difference in pronunciation.