-as

The Present Tense

Level 1

One ending for now, for habits and for what is always true.

How It Works

The ending -as makes the present tense. Take the root, or the infinitive without -i, and add -as.

InfinitivePresentMeaning
paroliparolasspeaks, is speaking
laborilaborasworks, is working
legilegasreads, is reading
manĝimanĝaseats, is eating

One form covers everything: an action that is happening now (Nun mi legas), a habit, and something that is always true. The ending is the same for every person, so mi legas, ŝi legas and ili legas all use legas.

To find the root, take the -i off the infinitive: legi gives leg-, and leg- plus -as gives legas.

Examples (4)

  1. Mi parolas Esperanton.

    I speak Esperanto. / I am speaking Esperanto.

    Parolas ends in -as: the present tense.

  2. Ana legas libron.

    Ana reads a book. / Ana is reading a book.

    One form, legas, means both reads and is reading.

  3. Kenji kaj Wei laboras en Pekino.

    Kenji and Wei work in Beijing.

    Laboras is the same for one person and for two.

  4. Ni manĝas kaj trinkas.

    We eat and drink.

    Both verbs end in -as.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding estas before the present tense.

    Mi estas manĝas.
    Mi manĝas.

    The ending -as already means both eat and am eating, so no helping verb is needed.

How It Connects

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

-asLevel 1The Present Tense

Learn This First

The present ending is one of the verb endings, so it builds on the idea that the ending shows the word type.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.