# Universala Vortaro: the Fundamento dictionary of 1905

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

> The Universala Vortaro of 1905 lists 2,635 official Esperanto roots and affixes plus 298 derived words, each in five languages. Browse it by letter.

The *Universala Vortaro* ("Universal Dictionary") is the fourth and largest part of the [*Fundamento de Esperanto*](https://esperantopedia.org/about/fundamento/). It lists the roots, affixes and small words of the language with translations into French, English, German, Russian and Polish. Every root in it is Fundamental: it belongs to the binding core of Esperanto.

## How are the entries written?

An entry is usually a root followed by an apostrophe, such as *abel'* "bee". The apostrophe marks the place where an ending or another part joins. The dictionary's own note explains the system with *frat'in'o* "sister": three parts, *frat* "brother", *in* "female" and *o* "noun", each to be looked up separately.

- **Roots** carry no ending: *aĉet'* "buy", *afabl'* "affable".
- **Affixes and endings** are entries too, with a short explanation and an example: *ad'* marks continued action, *a* marks the adjective.
- **Small words** are written whole: *adiaŭ*, *kaj*, *ĉe*.
- **Some derived words** follow their root as sub-entries: *sub'aĉet'* "corrupt" under *aĉet'*, *mal'afabl'* "surly" under *afabl'*.

We count 2,635 main entries and 298 derived ones. The letters C and Ĉ share one section in the original, as do G and Ĝ, H and Ĥ, J and Ĵ, and S and Ŝ; that gives 22 sections.

## What about the mistakes?

Zamenhof left the translations as they were, errors included, and his foreword warns that they are found "especially in the English part". Compare the five translations when one looks odd. The Language Committee later published corrections, now used by the [Academy of Esperanto](https://esperantopedia.org/about/academy/) in its online dictionary.

Each entry here links to our [dictionary](https://esperantopedia.org/dictionary/) when we have the word, for its modern meaning, forms and examples. Roots added after 1905 are listed in the Official Additions; see [official Esperanto](https://esperantopedia.org/about/official-esperanto/).

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## Sources

- [Akademio de Esperanto – Fundamento: Universala Vortaro](https://www.akademio-de-esperanto.org/fundamento/universala_vortaro.html)
- [Akademio de Esperanto – Akademia Vortaro: Klarigoj](https://www.akademio-de-esperanto.org/akademia_vortaro/klarigoj.html)
- [Wikipedia – Fundamento de Esperanto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamento_de_Esperanto)