# Ekzercaro: all 42 exercises of the Fundamento, full text

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/about/fundamento/ekzercaro/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-08

> The Ekzercaro of the Fundamento de Esperanto – 42 graded exercises from the alphabet to word building, with each section's new words in five languages.

The *Ekzercaro* ("collection of exercises") is the third part of the [*Fundamento de Esperanto*](https://esperantopedia.org/about/fundamento/). Its 42 numbered sections, §1 to §42, lead from the alphabet to the finer points of word building. Together with the grammar and the dictionary, it is binding: its sentences show official Esperanto in use.

## How is the Ekzercaro organised?

- **§1–§4: letters and reading.** The alphabet, the names of the letters and three reading drills. In §2 and §3 the words are split into syllables, with an accent on the stressed one: *Pát-ro*, *Ci-tró-no*.
- **§5–§26: grammar step by step.** Each section practises a few points – the plural, the object ending *-n*, the verb tenses, participles, the passive – in short sentences separated by a dash.
- **§11–§23: a story.** Every second section continues the fairy tale *La feino* ("The fairy"): a widow, two daughters and a fairy at the spring, told in seven instalments.
- **§27–§42: explanations and word building.** Zamenhof explains the article *la*, prepositions, the correlatives (§30) and suffixes such as *-ig-*, *-et-*, *-eg-* and *-um-*, each with many examples.

Most sections end with their new words. Each new word has five translations, in French, English, German, Russian and Polish, just like the [*Universala Vortaro*](https://esperantopedia.org/about/fundamento/universala-vortaro/). Open "New words" under a section to see them.

## How to use it today

The sentences are short and the vocabulary grows slowly, so the Ekzercaro still works as graded reading. Read a section, tap the words you do not know, then check the new words. The rules behind each section are in [the 16 rules of Esperanto grammar](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/16-rules/).

Some forms look old: *ci* for "thou" (§16), spellings like *Thier* in the German translations, or the English "flouwer". They are kept because the text may not change.

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## Sources

- [Akademio de Esperanto – Fundamento: Ekzercaro](https://www.akademio-de-esperanto.org/fundamento/ekzercaro.html)
- [Akademio de Esperanto – Fundamento de Esperanto (online edition)](https://www.akademio-de-esperanto.org/fundamento/)
- [Wikipedia – Fundamento de Esperanto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamento_de_Esperanto)