# Basic Esperanto phrases with pronunciation

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/basic/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-11

> 79 everyday Esperanto phrases with pronunciation: polite words, introductions, questions, saying you don't understand, and asking for help.

These are the phrases Esperanto speakers use every day, grouped by situation. Each one has a pronunciation guide: the word is split into syllables and the **stressed syllable is in capitals**. Stress always falls on the second-to-last vowel.

Read the letters as in Esperanto: *c* = "ts", *ĉ* = "ch", *ĝ* = "j" in "jam", *ĵ* = "s" in "measure", *j* = "y", *ŝ* = "sh", *ŭ* = "w". Vowels are pure, with no glide: *a* "father", *e* "bed", *i* "see", *o* "more", *u* "food". Details are on [the alphabet page](https://esperantopedia.org/learn/alphabet/).

## Politeness

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Dankon!* | DAN-kon | Thank you! |
| *Multan dankon!* | MUL-tan DAN-kon | Thank you very much! |
| *Koran dankon!* | KO-ran DAN-kon | Heartfelt thanks! |
| *Ne dankinde.* | ne dan-KIN-de | You're welcome. (literally "not worth thanks") |
| *…, mi petas.* | mi PE-tas | …, please. |
| *Bonvolu…* | bon-VO-lu | Please… (+ verb) |
| *Pardonu!* | par-DO-nu | Excuse me! / Sorry! |
| *Mi bedaŭras.* | mi be-DAŬ-ras | I'm sorry. (I regret it.) |
| *Ne gravas.* | ne GRA-vas | It doesn't matter. |
| *Bonvenon!* | bon-VE-non | Welcome! |
| *Jes. / Ne.* | jes / ne | Yes. / No. |
| *Bone.* | BO-ne | OK. / Good. |
| *Kompreneble!* | kom-pre-NE-ble | Of course! |
| *Bonan apetiton!* | BO-nan a-pe-TI-ton | Enjoy your meal! |
| *Sanon!* | SA-non | Cheers! / Bless you! (after a sneeze) |

*Mi petas* follows what you ask for: *Kafon, mi petas* – "A coffee, please". *Bonvolu* comes before a verb: *Bonvolu fermi la pordon* – "Please close the door".

## Introducing yourself

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Kiel vi nomiĝas?* | KI-el vi no-MI-ĝas | What's your name? |
| *Mi nomiĝas Anna.* | mi no-MI-ĝas AN-na | My name is Anna. |
| *Mia nomo estas Tom.* | MI-a NO-mo ES-tas tom | My name is Tom. |
| *Mi ĝojas konatiĝi kun vi.* | mi ĜO-jas ko-na-TI-ĝi kun vi | Nice to meet you. |
| *De kie vi venas?* | de KI-e vi VE-nas | Where are you from? |
| *Mi venas el Kanado.* | mi VE-nas el ka-NA-do | I'm from Canada. |
| *Kie vi loĝas?* | KI-e vi LO-ĝas | Where do you live? |
| *Mi loĝas en Londono.* | mi LO-ĝas en lon-DO-no | I live in London. |
| *Kiom aĝa vi estas?* | KI-om A-ĝa vi ES-tas | How old are you? |
| *Mi estas tridek jarojn aĝa.* | mi ES-tas TRI-dek JA-rojn A-ĝa | I'm thirty years old. |
| *Kio estas via profesio?* | KI-o ES-tas VI-a pro-fe-SI-o | What do you do for a living? |
| *Mi estas instruisto.* | mi ES-tas in-stru-IS-to | I'm a teacher. |
| *Mi estas studento.* | mi ES-tas stu-DEN-to | I'm a student. |
| *Mi lernas Esperanton.* | mi LER-nas es-pe-RAN-ton | I'm learning Esperanto. |
| *Mi parolas iomete.* | mi pa-RO-las i-o-ME-te | I speak a little. |
| *Jen mia amiko Petro.* | jen MI-a a-MI-ko PE-tro | This is my friend Peter. |

Esperanto has no word for "a", so a job or nationality takes no article: *Mi estas instruisto* – "I'm a teacher". A woman can add *-in-*: *instruistino*, *studentino*.

## Questions

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Kio?* | KI-o | What? |
| *Kiu?* | KI-u | Who? / Which? |
| *Kie?* | KI-e | Where? |
| *Kien?* | KI-en | Where to? |
| *Kiam?* | KI-am | When? |
| *Kial?* | KI-al | Why? |
| *Kiel?* | KI-el | How? |
| *Kiom?* | KI-om | How much? / How many? |
| *Kia?* | KI-a | What kind of? |
| *Ĉu vi…?* | ĉu vi | Do you…? (yes/no question) |
| *Kio estas tio?* | KI-o ES-tas TI-o | What is that? |
| *Kie estas la necesejo?* | KI-e ES-tas la ne-ce-SE-jo | Where is the toilet? |
| *Kioma horo estas?* | ki-O-ma HO-ro ES-tas | What time is it? |
| *Kiom kostas tio?* | KI-om KOS-tas TI-o | How much is that? |

All question words start with *ki-* and belong to the [table of correlatives](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/correlatives/). Yes/no questions start with *ĉu*: *Ĉu vi estas laca?* – "Are you tired?". More on [questions and negation](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/questions-negation/).

## Understanding

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Mi komprenas.* | mi kom-PRE-nas | I understand. |
| *Mi ne komprenas.* | mi ne kom-PRE-nas | I don't understand. |
| *Ĉu vi komprenas?* | ĉu vi kom-PRE-nas | Do you understand? |
| *Bonvolu ripeti.* | bon-VO-lu ri-PE-ti | Please repeat. |
| *Bonvolu paroli pli malrapide.* | bon-VO-lu pa-RO-li pli mal-ra-PI-de | Please speak more slowly. |
| *Kion signifas…?* | KI-on sig-NI-fas | What does … mean? |
| *Kiel oni diras … en Esperanto?* | KI-el O-ni DI-ras … en es-pe-RAN-to | How do you say … in Esperanto? |
| *Kiel oni skribas tion?* | KI-el O-ni SKRI-bas TI-on | How do you spell that? |
| *Ĉu vi povas skribi tion?* | ĉu vi PO-vas SKRI-bi TI-on | Can you write that down? |
| *Mi ne scias.* | mi ne SCI-as | I don't know. |
| *Mi estas komencanto.* | mi ES-tas ko-men-CAN-to | I'm a beginner. |
| *Ĉu vi parolas angle?* | ĉu vi pa-RO-las AN-gle | Do you speak English? |
| *Momenton, mi petas.* | mo-MEN-ton, mi PE-tas | One moment, please. |

## Help and emergencies

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Helpu!* | HEL-pu | Help! |
| *Ĉu vi povas helpi min?* | ĉu vi PO-vas HEL-pi min | Can you help me? |
| *Mi bezonas helpon.* | mi be-ZO-nas HEL-pon | I need help. |
| *Voku kuraciston!* | VO-ku ku-ra-CIS-ton | Call a doctor! |
| *Voku la policon!* | VO-ku la po-LI-con | Call the police! |
| *Voku ambulancon!* | VO-ku am-bu-LAN-con | Call an ambulance! |
| *Mi perdiĝis.* | mi per-DI-ĝis | I'm lost. |
| *Mi malsanas.* | mi mal-SA-nas | I'm ill. |
| *Fajro!* | FAJ-ro | Fire! |
| *Atentu!* | a-TEN-tu | Watch out! |

## Small talk and reactions

| Esperanto | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| *Kio nova?* | KI-o NO-va | What's new? |
| *Bonege!* | bo-NE-ge | Great! |
| *Interese!* | in-te-RE-se | Interesting! |
| *Ĉu vere?* | ĉu VE-re | Really? |
| *Eble.* | EB-le | Maybe. |
| *Certe!* | CER-te | Sure! |
| *Mi konsentas.* | mi kon-SEN-tas | I agree. |
| *Ne zorgu.* | ne ZOR-gu | Don't worry. |
| *Bonŝancon!* | bon-ŜAN-con | Good luck! |
| *Gratulon!* | gra-TU-lon | Congratulations! |
| *Feliĉan naskiĝtagon!* | fe-LI-ĉan nas-kiĝ-TA-gon | Happy birthday! |

For hello and goodbye at different times of day, see [greetings](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/greetings/). For hotels, restaurants and tickets, see [travel phrases](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/travel/).

## Common questions

### How do you say "thank you" in Esperanto?

*Dankon!* (DAN-kon). For more emphasis say *Multan dankon!* "Thank you very much!" The usual reply is *Ne dankinde* "You're welcome".

### How do you say "I don't understand" in Esperanto?

*Mi ne komprenas* (mi ne kom-PRE-nas). Add *Bonvolu paroli pli malrapide* to ask someone to speak more slowly.

### How do you say "cheers" in Esperanto?

*Sanon!* or *Je via sano!* – "To your health!". *Sanon!* is also what people say after someone sneezes.

### Why do the pronunciation guides use Esperanto letters?

Because Esperanto spelling is already phonetic. Once you know the 28 letters, the written word tells you exactly how to say it; the guide only adds syllable breaks and stress.

## Sources

- [PMEG: Bazaj elparolaj reguloj (stress and sounds)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/skribo_elparolo/elparolo/bazaj_reguloj.html)
- [PMEG: Mallongigitaj frazoj (Saluton!, Dankon!, Helpu!)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/frazospecoj/mallongigitaj_frazoj.html)
- [PMEG: Horoj (Kioma horo estas?)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/nombroj/horoj.html)
- [PMEG: N-finaĵo por mezuro (tridek jarojn aĝa)](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/gramatiko/rolmontriloj/n/mezuro.html)
- [Wiktionary: ne dankinde](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ne_dankinde)
- [Wiktionary: sanon](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sanon)
- [Wiktionary: kiel vi fartas](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kiel_vi_fartas)