Chapter 4: Present Tense of Verbs

Section 4.1: Introduction to Verbs

Verbs are action words in a sentence, and they play a crucial role in expressing actions, states, or events. In Esperanto, verbs are relatively straightforward to conjugate, especially in the present tense. Here's an introduction to verbs:

In Esperanto, verbs end in "-i" in their infinitive form. For example:

  • esti (to be)
  • havi (to have)
  • iri (to go)
  • manĝi (to eat)
  • trinki (to drink)

Section 4.2: Present Tense Conjugation (-as)

To express actions happening in the present, you'll use the present tense in Esperanto. Conjugating verbs in the present tense is quite simple. You remove the "-i" ending from the infinitive form and add "-as" to the verb root. Here's how it works:

  • esti (to be):

    • mi estas (I am)
    • vi estas (you are)
    • li/ŝi/ĝi estas (he/she/it is)
    • ni estas (we are)
    • ili estas (they are)

  • havi (to have):

    • mi havas (I have)
    • vi havas (you have)
    • li/ŝi/ĝi havas (he/she/it has)
    • ni havas (we have)
    • ili havas (they have)

  • iri (to go):

    • mi iras (I go)
    • vi iras (you go)
    • li/ŝi/ĝi iras (he/she/it goes)
    • ni iras (we go)
    • ili iras (they go)

  • manĝi (to eat):

    • mi manĝas (I eat)
    • vi manĝas (you eat)
    • li/ŝi/ĝi manĝas (he/she/it eats)
    • ni manĝas (we eat)
    • ili manĝas (they eat)

  • trinki (to drink):

    • mi trinkas (I drink)
    • vi trinkas (you drink)
    • li/ŝi/ĝi trinkas (he/she/it drinks)
    • ni trinkas (we drink)
    • ili trinkas (they drink)

Section 4.3: Common Verbs

Here are some common verbs in Esperanto and their usage:

  • esti (to be):

    • Used to describe identity or existence.
    • Mi estas studento. - I am a student.
    • Ŝi estas doktoro. - She is a doctor.

  • havi (to have):

    • Used to express possession.
    • Li havas aŭton. - He has a car.
    • Ni havas tempon. - We have time.

  • iri (to go):

    • Used to indicate movement or going somewhere.
    • Ili iras al la lernejo. - They are going to school.
    • Mi iras hejmen. - I am going home.

  • manĝi (to eat):

    • Used to describe the action of eating.
    • Vi manĝas panon. - You eat bread.
    • Ili ne manĝas viandon. - They don't eat meat.

  • trinki (to drink):

    • Used to describe the action of drinking.
    • Li trinkas akvon. - He drinks water.
    • Ni trinkas teon. - We drink tea.

Understanding the present tense and these common verbs will allow you to form basic sentences and express simple actions and states in Esperanto. As you progress, you can learn more verb tenses and expand your vocabulary to communicate effectively in a wider range of situations.