Esperanto/Starting vocabulary list
Here is a good starting vocabulary list to learn.
This is the wordlist given at the start of Vere aŭ Fantazie, by Claude Piron. It is the 400 or so words that a beginner should know after completing a beginner’s textbook or course, such as Gerda Malaperis. Piron assumes that you will already know all these words before starting to read Vere aŭ Fantazie, his collection of tales for progressing beginners.
http://en.lernu.net/biblioteko/rakontoj/vere_aux_fantazie/vortoj.php
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| -a | (adjective marker) |
| -as | (verb present tense marker) |
| -e | (adverb marker) |
| -i | (verb infinitive marker) |
| -is | (verb past tense marker) |
| -j | (noun or adjective plural marker) |
| -n | (accusative case marker) |
| -o | (noun marker) |
| -os | (verb future tense marker) |
| -u | (verb imperative marker) |
| -us | (verb conditional mood marker) |
| -ad- | (suffix - continuing action) |
| -aĵ- | (suffix - concrete thing) |
| -an- | (suffix - member of a group) |
| -ant- | (present active participle marker) |
| -ar- | (suffix - group, collection) |
| -ebl- | (suffix - possible: -able, -ible) |
| -ec- | (suffix - quality: -ity, -ness, -ship) |
| -eg- | (suffix - augmentative, bigger/more) |
| -et- | (suffix - diminutive: smaller/less) |
| -ej- | (suffix - place, location, room) |
| -ig- | (suffix - to cause to be, to make happen) |
| -iĝ- | (suffix - becoming, coming to a changed state) suffix |
| -il- | (suffix - tool, means of) |
| -in- | (suffix - female) |
| -ind- | (suffix - worth doing, worthy of) |
| -ist- | (suffix - one having a profession or hobby, holding to a system of thought or belief) |
| -obl- | (suffix - multiple) |
| -on- | (suffix - fraction) |
| -uj- | (suffix - container) |
| -ul- | (suffix - person) |
| dis- | (prefix - in different directions) |
| ek- | (prefix - (sudden) start, beginning) |
| ge- | (prefix - both genders) |
| mal- | (prefix - opposite) |
| mis- | (prefix - wrong, mistaken: mis-) |
| re- | (prefix - repeat, again: re-) |
| aĉeti | to buy (v) |
| aero | air (n) |
| afero | affair, matter, thing (n) |
| agi | to act (v) |
| akcepti | to accept (v) |
| akvo | water (n) |
| al | to, toward (prep) |
| alia | other (adj) |
| alta | high, tall (adj) |
| ami | to love (v) |
| ankaŭ | also, as well (adv) |
| ankoraŭ | still, yet (adv) |
| antaŭ | before, in front of (adv) |
| aperi | to appear (v) |
| apud | by, next to, near (prep) |
| arto | art (n) |
| atendi | to wait (for), expect (v) |
| aŭ | or (conj) |
| aŭdi | to hear |
| aŭskulti | to listen (v) |
| aŭto | car (n) |
| baldaŭ | soon (prep) |
| bela | fine, lovely (adj) |
| bezoni | to need |
| bildo | picture, image (n) |
| bona | good, fine (adj) |
| celi | to aim (v) |
| cent | 100 |
| certa | certain (adj) |
| ĉambro | room (n) |
| ĉar | because (conj) |
| ĉe | at (prep) |
| ĉefa | chief, main (adj) |
| ĉi | (denotes proximity: here, this, these, etc.) |
| ĉia | every kind of |
| ĉiam | always, ever |
| ĉie | everywhere |
| ĉio | everything, all |
| ĉiu | each, every |
| ĉu | (1) whether (2) is it that...? |
| da | of (quantity) (prep) |
| danki | to thank (v) |
| daŭri | to last, continue (v) |
| de | of, from, by since (prep) |
| decidi | to decide (v) |
| dek | 10 |
| dekstra | right, right-hand (adj) |
| demandi | to ask (a question) (v) |
| devi | to be obliged to, to have to (v) |
| deziri | to desire, wish (for) (v) |
| dika | thick, fat (adj) |
| direkti | to direct, guide (v) |
| diri | to say (v) |
| diversa | diverse, various (adj) |
| do | so, therefore (conj) |
| doktoro | doctor (academic or medical) (n) |
| dolĉa | sweet (adj) |
| domo | house, buildling (n) |
| doni | to give (v) |
| dormi | to sleep (v) |
| du | 2 |
| dum | during, for, while (prep) |
| eĉ | even (adv) |
| edzo | husband (n) |
| ekster | outside (prep) |
| ekzemplo | example (n) |
| ekzisti | to exist (v) |
| el | from, out of (prep) |
| en | in, into (prep) |
| esperi | to hope |
| esti | to be (v) |
| facila | easy (adj) |
| fako | department, speciality, subject (n) |
| familio | family (n) |
| fali | to fall (v) |
| fari | to make, to do (v) |
| fenestro | window (n) |
| fermi | to close (v) |
| filo | son (n) |
| flanko | side (n) |
| fini | to finish (v) |
| flugi | to fly (v) |
| fojo | time, occasion |
| for | away (prep) |
| forgesi | to forget (v) |
| forta | strong (adj) |
| foto | photograph (n) |
| frato | brother (n) |
| frua | early (adj) |
| funkcii | to function, work (v) |
| glaso | drinking-glass (n) |
| granda | big (adj) |
| grava | serious, important (adj) |
| grupo | group (n) |
| ĝenerala | general (adj) |
| ĝi | it (pron) |
| ĝis | until (prep) |
| ĝusta | right, correct (adj) |
| havi | to have (v) |
| hejmo | home (n) |
| helpi | to help (v) |
| hieraŭ | yesterday (adv) |
| historio | story, history (n) |
| homo | person, human (n) |
| horo | hour, time (n) |
| hodiaŭ | today (adv) |
| ia | some kind of, any kind of |
| ial | for some reason |
| iam | sometime, ever |
| ie | somewhere, anywhere |
| iel | in some way, anyhow |
| ideo | idea (n) |
| ili | they, them (pron) |
| infano | child (n) |
| informi | to inform (v) |
| instrui | to teach (v) |
| inter | between (prep) |
| inviti | to invite (v) |
| io | something |
| iom | some, somewhat, to any extent |
| iu | someone, anyone; some/any definite thing |
| malfeliĉa | unhappy, unfortunate (adj) |
| jam | already, yet, by now (adv) |
| jaro | year (n) |
| je | (indefinite preposition) |
| jen | here, look, behold |
| jes | yes |
| juna | young (adj) |
| ĵeti | to throw (v) |
| kaj | and (conj) |
| kampo | field, area (n) |
| kanti | to sing (v) |
| kapti | to catch, capture (v) |
| kara | dear, beloved (adj) |
| kaŝi | to hide (v) |
| ke | that (conj) |
| kelka | some, several (adj) |
| kia | what kind of, what sort of |
| kial | why |
| kiam | when |
| kie | where |
| kies | whose |
| kio | what |
| kiu | who, which |
| kiel | how |
| kiom | how much |
| klara | clear (adj) |
| knabo | boy (n) |
| koloro | colour, dye (n) |
| komenci | to begin (v) |
| kompreni | to understand (v) |
| koni | to know, to be acquainted (v) |
| konsenti | to consent, agree |
| kontenta | content, happy (adj) |
| kontraŭ | against (prep) |
| kosti | to cost |
| kredi | to believe (v) |
| krom | apart from, except (prep) |
| kun | with (prep) |
| kuŝi | to lie (v) |
| kvar | 4 |
| kvin | 5 |
| la | the (art.) |
| labori | to work (v) |
| lakto | milk (n) |
| lando | land, country (n) |
| larĝa | wide, broad (adj) |
| lasi | to leave (v) |
| lasta | last, latter (adj) |
| legi | to read |
| lerni | to learn (v) |
| letero | letter (post) (n) |
| li | he, him (pron) |
| libera | free (adj) |
| libro | book (n) |
| lingvo | language (n) |
| loko | place (n) |
| longa | long (adj) |
| ludi | to play (v) |
| manĝi | to eat (v) |
| maniero | manner (n) |
| manki | to be missing (v) |
| mano | hand (n) |
| maro | sea (n) |
| mateno | morning (n) |
| mem | -self, itself (pron) |
| memori | to remember |
| meti | to put (v) |
| mezo | middle (n) |
| mi | I, me (pron) |
| mil | 1000 |
| milito | war (n) |
| minuto | minute (n) |
| miri | to admire, wonder (v) |
| monato | month (n) |
| mondo | world (n) |
| mono | money (n) |
| montri | to show (v) |
| morgaŭ | tomorrow (adv) |
| morti | to die (v) |
| movi | to move (v) |
| multa | many (adj) |
| nacio | nation, country (n) |
| naski | to give birth to (v) |
| naskiĝi | to be born |
| naturo | nature, character (n) |
| naŭ | 9 |
| ne | no, not (negative) |
| necesa | necessary (adj) |
| nenia | no kind of |
| neniam | never |
| nenie | nowhere |
| neniel | nohow, in no way |
| nenio | nothing |
| neniu | no, no-one |
| ni | we, us (pron) |
| nokto | night (n) |
| nomo | name (n) |
| nova | new, novel (adj) |
| numero | number (n) |
| nun | now (adv) |
| nur | only, just (adv) |
| ofte | often (adv) |
| ok | 8 |
| okazi | to happen, take place |
| ol | than (comparative) |
| oni | one (pron) |
| opinio | opinion (n) |
| organizi | to organise (v) |
| pagi | to pay (v) |
| paĝo | page (n) |
| pano | bread (n) |
| papero | paper (n) |
| pardoni | to pardon, forgive (v) |
| paroli | to speak (v) |
| parto | part, share (n) |
| patro | father (n) |
| peco | piece (n) |
| pensi | to think (v) |
| per | with, by means of (prep) |
| perdi | to lose (v) |
| permesi | to permit, allow (v) |
| persono | person (n) |
| peti | to ask for (v) |
| piedo | foot (n) |
| plaĉi | to please, be pleasing (v) |
| plej | most (comparative) |
| plena | full (adj) |
| pli | more (comparative) |
| plu | more, further (adv) |
| popolo | people, population (n) |
| por | for (prep) |
| pordo | door (n) |
| porti | to wear, carry (v) |
| post | after (prep) |
| poŝto | post, mail (n) |
| povi | to be able to (v) |
| preni | to take (v) |
| preskaŭ | almost (adv) |
| prezenti | to present (v) |
| pri | about, concerning (prep) |
| pro | for, through, because of (prep) |
| problemo | problem (n) |
| proksima | near, proximate (adj) |
| pura | clean, pure (adj) |
| provi | to try (v) |
| rakonti | to tell, recount (v) |
| radio | radio (n) |
| rajto | right, permission (n) |
| rapida | fast, quick (adj) |
| raporti | to report (v) |
| renkonti | to meet, encounter (v) |
| respondi | to respond, answer (v) |
| resti | to stay (v) |
| ricevi | to receive (v) |
| rilati | to relate, be related to (v) |
| ridi | to laugh (v) |
| rigardi | to look at, watch (v) |
| riĉa | rich (adj) |
| rimarki | to notice, remark (v) |
| rompi | to break (v) |
| saluti | to greet (v) |
| sama | same (adj) |
| sana | well, healthy (adj) |
| scienco | science (n) |
| scii | to know (v) |
| se | if (conj) |
| sed | but (conj) |
| seĝo | chair (n) |
| sekvi | to follow (v) |
| semajno | week (n) |
| sen | without (prep) |
| sendi | to send (v) |
| senti | to feel (emotion, state of mind) (v) |
| sep | 7 |
| serĉi | to search (v) |
| servi | to serve (v) |
| ses | 6 |
| si | (indefinite third person pronoun, referring back to subject) |
| sidi | to sit, sit down (v) |
| simila | similar (adj) |
| simpla | simple (adj) |
| sinjoro | gentleman, sir, Mr (n) |
| situacio | situation (n) |
| skribi | to write (v) |
| sola | sole, only, alone (adj) |
| soni | to sound, make a sound (v) |
| stari | to stand (v) |
| studi | to study (v) |
| strato | street (n) |
| sub | under, below, underneath (prep) |
| sufiĉa | enough, sufficient (adj) |
| sukcesi | to succeed (v) |
| suno | sun (n) |
| super | over, above (prep) |
| supre | overhead, upstairs (adv) |
| sur | on, upon (prep) |
| ŝajni | to seem (v) |
| ŝanĝi | to change (v) |
| ŝati | to like, appreciate (v) |
| ŝi | she, her (pron) |
| ŝipo | ship (n) |
| tablo | table (n) |
| tago | day (n) |
| teatro | theatre (n) |
| tempo | time (n) |
| tamen | however, nevertheless (adv) |
| teni | to hold (v) |
| tero | earth (n) |
| tia | that kind of |
| tiam | then, at that time |
| tie | there, that place |
| tiel | thus, in that way |
| tial | for that reason, therefor |
| tio | that, that thing |
| tiom | that amount, that much |
| tiu | that one |
| timi | to fear (v) |
| tra | through (prep) |
| trans | across (prep) |
| tre | very (adv) |
| tro | too much, too (adv) |
| tri | 3 |
| triki | to knit (v) |
| trovi | to find (v) |
| tuj | immediately, at once (adv) |
| tuta | whole, entire (adj) |
| unu | 1 |
| urbo | town (n) |
| uzi | to use (v) |
| valori | to be worth (v) |
| vendi | to sell (v) |
| veni | to come (v) |
| varma | warm (adj) |
| vera | true, real (adj) |
| vespero | evening (n) |
| vi | you, your (pron) |
| veturi | to ride, drive (v) |
| vidi | to see (v) |
| viro | man (n) |
| vivi | to live (v) |
| viziti | to visit |
| vojaĝi | to travel (v) |
| vojo | road, way, path (n) |
| voli | to want (v) |
| vorto | word (n) |
| zorgi | to care, worry (v) |