Adverbs

Derived adverbs are formed with the ending -e. This completes the vowel system: -o for nouns, -a for adjectives, -e for adverbs.

• bele – beautifully
• forte – strongly
• rapida aŭto – a fast car
  • veturi rapide – to travel fast

The prepositions per and kun

Both can translate as "with", but they cover different meanings.

Per – with (by means of, using)

• Manĝi per kulero – to eat with a spoon
• Ŝi kantis per tre bela voĉo. – She sang with (in) a very beautiful voice.

Kun – with (together with)

• Mi iris kun la amiko. – I went with the friend.
• Mi parolos kun li. – I will talk to him.

💡 Memory aid: kun is company (you do something with someone), per is the means (you do something by means of a thing).

The Preposition post

post – after (referring to time)

• Li venis post mi. – He came after me (after I did).
• post du horoj – in two hours' time
• Li venos post tri horoj. – He will come in three hours.
• poste – afterwards, later on

The Preposition malantaŭ

malantaŭ – behind (referring to place)

• Li venis malantaŭ mi. – He came behind me (walking or driving along behind).

⚠️ Watch out: stress this word correctly — malantaŭ. Note that it is just mal- + antaŭ (in front of), so "behind" is literally the opposite of "in front of".

Antaŭ and tra in longer words

Prepositions can also work as word parts. Antaŭ keeps the idea "before" or "in front", and tra keeps the idea "through":

• antaŭ + iri → antaŭiri – to go before
• antaŭ + diri → antaŭdiri – to predict
• tra + iri → trairi – to go through
• tra + vivi → travivi – to live through, to experience

The suffix -ul

a person characterized by some quality:

• grandulo – a large person
• malbonulo – a bad person
• belulino – a beautiful woman, a beauty

The suffix -ej

forms the word for a place where something regularly happens:

• lernejo – school (place for learning)
• kuirejo – kitchen (kuiri – to cook)
• dormejo – dormitory, sleeping place

💡 Memory aid: -ej turns an activity into its place:

• lerni (to learn) → lernejo (school)
• kuiri (to cook) → kuirejo (kitchen)

The suffix -ebl

denotes possibility, and corresponds to English "-able", "-ible":

• manĝebla – edible
• videbla – visible
• kompreneble – understandably (naturally, of course)
• eble – perhaps, maybe
• malebla – impossible

The Imperative

The verb ending for a command is -u:

• Manĝu! – Eat! Eat up!
• Iru! – Go! Go on!

It can also be used with a subject:

• Li lernu! – Let him learn!
• Ni vidu. – Let's see.

Place, manner and relative kiu

Kie asks about place. Kiel asks about manner:

• Kie vi sidas? – Where are you sitting?
• Kiel vi venis? – How did you come?

Kiu can also connect a short relative clause to a noun:

• la amiko, kiu sidas – the friend who is sitting
• la libroj, kiuj estas sur la tablo – the books that are on the table