Now let's look at statements, questions, and answers:
| A statement | La pano estas bruna. |
|---|---|
| The bread is brown. | |
| A question | Ĉu la pano estas bruna? |
| Is the bread brown? | |
| The answer | (a) Jes, la pano estas bruna. |
| (b) Ne, la pano ne estas bruna, ĝi estas blanka. |
Note: Every question is based on a statement; we identify that statement, placing the 'doubting' word ĉu (literally, 'whether') in front, and then we are asking "Is this true?" Also note that the word order in Esperanto is not changed; only the word 'ĉu' is placed in front of the statement.
| English question | Will the boys sell the cake? |
|---|---|
| Underlying statement | (The boys will sell the cake.) |
| (La knaboj vendos la kukon.) | |
| Esperanto question | Ĉu la knaboj vendos la kukon? |
All 'yes-or-no' questions are handled in the same way.
In the first three lessons, you have learned how to write simple statements correctly, and now know how to make questions and give answers. As soon as you have learned all the sounds of Esperanto (detailed, as best as possible in writing, see below) we can start in on conversations, in Lesson Five. (Remember to complete the exercises at the bottom.)
The Esperanto alphabet:
a b c ĉ d e f g ĝ h ĥ i j ĵ k l m n o p r s ŝ t u ŭ v z
Note that the names of the letters (used when spelling aloud, etc.) are a, bo, co, ĉo, do, e, fo, go, ĝo, ho, ĥo, i, etc. That is, the consonants get an 'o' after them, and the name of each vowel is the sound of the vowel itself. Note that "ŭo" is pronounced sort of like English 'wo'.
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet; 28 in Esperanto. In Esperanto there is no q, w, x, or y. In Esperanto there are 6 letters not found in English (all 6 have accent marks): ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ [all circumflexes], and ŭ [a u-breve].
The Esperanto letters 'j' and 'ŭ' are not vowels and can combine with real vowels (a, e, i, o, and u) to make 'vowel glides' which must be learned as separate sounds (below).
Pronunciation Guide
Remember, in Esperanto: one letter - one sound. No exceptions.
Vowel Sounds (accented/emphasized vowels are marked with a bold typeface)
| a as in Ma, father | blanka | sana | granda | varma |
| e as in send, met | bela | plena | verda | peti |
| i as in me, three | vivi | ami | trinki | filo |
| o as in more, or | ovo | domo | kio | nova |
| u as in two, soon | unu | plumo | suno | butiko |
Consonant Sounds (mainly as in English, except:)
| c pronounced 'ts' in nests | danco | leciono | biciklo |
| ĉ pronounced 'ch'in church | ĉambro | sandviĉo | ĉokolado |
| g pronounced 'g' in great | sageto | gustumi | geografio |
| ĝ pronounced 'g' in George | manĝi | loĝi | seĝo |
| ĥ pronounced 'ch'in Bach | jaĥto | ĥoro | eĥo |
| j pronounced 'y' in yet | jes | jaro | juna |
| ĵ pronounced 's' in leisure | ĵurnalo | teatraĵo | ĵaluzo |
| ŝ pronounced 'sh'in shoe | ŝati | poŝo | ŝuo |
Ŭ is used most often in the combination 'aŭ' or 'eŭ' (otherwise it has a 'w' sound, as in weather).
Remember: All sounds presented in this Pronunciation Guide are approximations. They are the closest approximations for North American English-speakers.
Vowel Glides (diphthongs). The following combinations between a vowel (a, e, o, u) and 'j' or 'ŭ' make one sound:
| aj pronounced as 'eye' | majo | kaj | semajno |
| oj pronounced as in 'boy' | knaboj | vojaĝi | ĝojo |
| ej pronounced as in 'they' | plej | mejlo | lernejo |
| uj pronounced 'oo-ee' (quickly) | tuj | Anglujo | monujo |
| aŭ pronounced as in 'cow' | naŬ | antaŭ | ĵaŭdo |
| eŭ pronounced as in 'wayward' | Eŭropo | neŭtrala | Eŭklido |
In all the examples above, the vowel of the stressed (or accented) syllable has been capitalized. This follows the rule without exception that every word in Esperanto is stressed on the next-to-last syllable.
Here is a list of words (and translations) that represent sounds in Esperanto [not just those covered above]. Practice them carefully and your pronunciation will get better and better.
| Anglujo | England | lernejo | school | |
| antaŭ | before | majo | May | |
| aĉeti | to buy | manĝi | to eat | |
| biciklo | bicycle | mejlo | mile | |
| ĉambro | room | monujo | purse | |
| ĉokolado | chocolate | neŭtrala | neutral | |
| danco | dance | ovo | egg | |
| domo | house | plej | most... | |
| eĥo | echo | plena | full | |
| Eŭropo | Europe | poŝo | ||
| Eŭklido | Euclid | sageto | dart | |
| geografio | geography | sandviĉo | sandwich | |
| gustumi | to taste | seĝo | seat, chair | |
| ĝojo | joy | suno | sun | |
| ĥoro | choir | ŝati | to like | |
| jaĥto | yacht | ŝuo | shoe | |
| juna | young | teatraĵo | (theatrical) play | |
| ĵaluzo | jealousy | tuj | immediately | |
| ĵaŭdo | Thursday | vojaĝi | to travel | |
| ĵurnalo | newspaper | |||
| kio | what (thing) | |||
| leciono | lesson | best advice: practice! practice! practice! | ||
| libro | book | |||
| loĝi | to reside | |||
Translate into Esperanto.
Answer in Esperanto; use complete sentences, not just jes or ne.
(Sorry about the silly questions, but the answers are easy.)
Don't forget to mail these exercises to your tutor, with subject: 'FEC ekz 4'.