Formal and Casual Esperanto

Level 5

Formal and casual Esperanto share every rule and differ in the words they choose.

How It Works

CasualFormal
Saluton!Estimata sinjoro,
Kiel vi fartas?Mi esperas, ke vi fartas bone.
Ĉu vi povas helpi min?Ĉu vi bonvolus helpi min?
Dankon!Mi dankas vin kore.

Both registers keep the same grammar: the same -n, the same agreement and the same word order. The difference lies in which words you pick.

Esperanto has no polite vi against a close ci. PMEG explains that ci exists only in theory and is practically never used, so vi serves a friend, a stranger and a whole audience alike.

Casual texts, such as a chat between friends at a congress, use short greetings and exclamations. Formal texts, such as a letter to an association or an article, use longer sentences, the polite bonvolu, and participles such as la partoprenantoj.

Examples (4)

  1. Saluton, Ana! Kiel vi fartas?

    Hello, Ana! How are you?

    Short and warm: a casual greeting between friends.

  2. Estimata sinjorino, mi esperas, ke vi fartas bone.

    Dear madam, I hope that you are well.

    A formal letter turns the question into a hope.

  3. Ĉu vi bonvolus helpi min? Mi ne komprenas ĉi tiun frazon.

    Would you please help me? I do not understand this sentence.

    Bonvolus makes a formal request polite.

  4. Dankon pro la helpo, kaj ĝis revido!

    Thanks for the help, and goodbye!

    A casual goodbye in two short parts.

How It Connects

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Formal and Casual EsperantoLevel 5

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Formal and casual Esperanto are compared after both have been seen.

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