One Form for Everyone

Level 1

Learn one form, and it works for everyone.

How It Works

In Esperanto the verb ending shows the time, not the person. Legas works for every subject.

SubjectVerb
mi, vilegas
li, ŝi, ĝilegas
ni, ililegas
Ana, Ana kaj Kenjilegas

Many languages change the verb for each person or number. Esperanto does not, so you learn a verb once for each tense. The same holds for every tense: estas is the present of esti for all subjects.

Because the verb does not show the person, say the subject: mi, vi, ŝi, a name or a noun.

Examples (4)

  1. Mi legas, kaj vi legas.

    I read, and you read.

    Legas is the same for mi and for vi.

  2. Pedro kaj Lucia loĝas en Madrido.

    Pedro and Lucia live in Madrid.

    Loĝas is the same for one person and for two.

  3. Mi loĝas en Italio, kaj vi loĝas en Francio.

    I live in Italy, and you live in France.

    Loĝas does not change for mi and vi.

  4. Ili parolas Esperanton.

    They speak Esperanto.

    Parolas is the same as in mi parolas.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

One Form for EveryoneLevel 1

Learn This First

The verb never changes for the person, which needs a verb form and the pronouns to see.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.