all you need to start your Esperanto journey
Mi serĉas enhavon...
- What is Esperanto?
Esperanto is a constructed language created in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof to make international communication easier. It has simple grammar, phonetic spelling, and vocabulary mainly from European languages. Today, people around the world use it for travel, cultural exchange, and online communities.
- How is the community?
The Esperanto community is small but very international and active. There are local clubs, online groups, cultural organizations, and yearly international meetings where people use Esperanto to communicate with speakers from many different countries.
Like any community, it includes people with different interests and opinions, but many Esperantists are interested in language learning, international culture, travel, and communication across borders.
- How many people speak Esperanto?
The only real answer is “no one knows.” Several decades ago The World Almanac and Book of Facts published the number “two million,” and that number got repeated in lots of other sources, but it is not based on any real research or data.
Modern estimates of actual speakers of Esperanto (not just people who have learned a few words or phrases) are in the range of 60,000-200,000. If you include “people who have learned a little bit of Esperanto” in the definition of “speaker,” then the number is significantly higher.
- Where is it spoken?
There are people who know Esperanto in almost every country in the world. There are more Esperanto speakers in Europe than in other places, but there are significant numbers of speakers in China, Japan, Brazil, Russia, the US, among others.
- Why should I learn Esperanto? What's in it for me? What can I do with Esperanto?
-Esperanto is a complete and real language, but it was developed specifically to help people communicate with speakers of other languages and people in other cultures. The goal of Esperanto, succinctly, is “to break down and cross language barriers.”
-Many people in the world today are interested in “conlangs” (constructed languages) as a kind of language or logic game. Esperanto is a little different from other constructed languages, because it exists for a specific reason, it has a comparatively long history, and it has a large speaker community.
-If you do learn Esperanto, you have access to a large body of literature (much of it available for free online today), access to lots of discussion groups that involve people from all over the world but who don’t speak your first language.
-You also gain a lot of insight into language, how it works, how grammar functions, and how English is not the norm for communication that most English speakers believe it to be.
-Many people also find Esperanto to be a “trainer language” or “easy first foreign language”, to gain basic skills of language learning without having to face lots of exceptions to rules.
If none of those things resonate with you, then you might want to look for another learning project.
- Is Esperanto a real language? I've read it is an artificial language.
Esperanto is usually called a “constructed” language. All the vocabulary comes from other languages (Latin/romance, German, and Slavic, primarily). And the grammar, while simplified and regular, is not generally unlike that of other European languages. There are similar parts of speech, similar ways of constructing sentences, and similar expressions. So you have words like “frato” (brother), “baki” (to bake), “hundo” (dog), and expressions like “Bonan tagon!” (Good day!). There are very few elements in Esperanto that are truly “artificial.” So yes, it’s a “real” language. But it was created in a deliberate way for a specific purpose, which makes it a little different from other languages you’re familiar with.
There are “artificial languages,” languages that are made up from scratch and don’t have any connection to other languages. One of the best known modern examples is probably Klingon. There are languages like Loglan and Lojban that were designed to be purely logical, and are made up of arbitrary parts. There was even an artificial language called “Solresol”, in which all the words were made up of the names of the notes in the musical scale (do, re, mi . . . ) —with the idea that the language could be sung as well as spoken!
- Is there literature in Esperanto? Books? Plays? Poetry? Newspapers? Magazines?
The very first introductory booklet about Esperanto was published in 1887 included short examples of literature. Dr. Zamenhof, the author, dedicated much of his early work after publication to producing translated literature in Esperanto (including Hamlet and the Hebrew Bible, among many others). People began to translate and write original works in the language almost immediately, and a vast amount of literature is available today.
The book Esperanta Antologio is a collection of the finest original Esperanto poetry from 1887 to 1981. It’s more than 900 pages.
There aren’t really Esperanto newspapers today, although in the past there were regular publications like Heroldo de Esperanto. But in the era of the Internet, there are numerous sites for news reports about Esperanto, the Esperanto movement, and news in general. For example, Libera Folio reports on topics of interest to Esperanto speakers (https://liberafolio.org), La Ondo de Esperanto (https://sezonoj.ru/) is a publication of general interest, and Monato (https://monato.be) publishes articles on a wide range of topics.
Several print magazines are available in Esperanto, including the monthly Esperanto (published by the Universala Esperanto-Asocio), Kontakto (published by TEJO, the International Esperanto Youth Organization), Monato (a newsmonthly focused on news in Esperanto but not about Esperanto, published in Belgium but with correspondents worldwide) and Juna Amiko (published by the International Association of Esperanto teachers).
- Are there technical and nonfiction books and publications written in Esperanto?
There’s a lot of nonfiction written in Esperanto, much of it focusing on linguistics and language issues, history, and social and political issues. There are also biographies and autobiographies (such as the book Maskerado, by Tivadar Soros, the father of George Soros).
There isn’t a lot of technical material in Esperanto, since authors generally write for a broad, curious international audience with limited exposure to their field. There are dictionaries of specialized and technical terminology designed to help specialists discuss their field.
- Is there an Esperanto culture with music, dance, food, films, radio programs, etc.?
There is in fact a kind of “Esperanto culture,” but it’s not a culture that involves specific clothing, dance, and food. There’s no typical food an Esperantist would bring to a potluck dinner. Except that it might be vegetarian or vegan, since many Esperantists are vegetarians or vegans.
Esperanto culture is more linked to a common understanding and experience of certain events (like national or international “congresses” of Esperanto speakers), certain creative works (historically literature, but in modern times also music, YouTube videos, podcasts, etc.) that everyone has either experienced or at least heard about, different organizations that people might be members of (like the Universala Esperanto-Asocio, the World Esperanto Association), some symbols (like the green star), and language-related topics that everyone knows and talks about (like the use/misuse of the accusative case).
Those elements can’t be discounted, because they in fact connect people in ways you might not expect.
- What can you tell me about the history of Esperanto?
Esperanto has a more than 130-year history. After it was first published in the Russian Empire, the introductory material was quickly translated into other languages, and people in other countries began to learn and use the language. Within just a few years there were Esperanto speakers around the world, and a growing body of original and translated literature, journals, and correspondence. The first World Congress of Esperanto was held in 1905. At that meeting, Esperantists by consensus adopted the Fundamento de Esperanto as the unchangeable basis for Esperanto’s grammar and structure.
A relatively new article about the history of Esperanto is here:
- What organizations and companies use Esperanto?
While some organizations and companies have used Esperanto, often as a way to stand out in the marketplace through unique or provocative branding, it’s very uncommon for organizations made up of non-Esperantists to use Esperanto to communicate, even with Esperantists or Esperanto organizations.
The one exception is during the annual “Universal Congress of Esperanto,” when some enterprising locals do use Esperanto due to the large number of Esperantists in one place—for advertisements, menus, and informational purposes. But this usually doesn’t last past the week of the congress.
- Does the United Nations use Esperanto?
The United Nations does not use Esperanto. The UN is fully committed to its multilingual translation model, in spite of the enormous expense and complexity it entails.
The Universala Esperanto-Asocio has consultative status with UNESCO, giving it the highest level of representation a non-governmental organization can have at the UN. However, the member-states tend not to be particularly receptive to NGOs in general, preferring to respond to their constituents at home.
- Is Esperanto actually easy to learn? If so, why?
For many, Esperanto is much easier to learn than many other languages.
-First of all, Esperanto is spoken just as it is written. There are no silent letters or other pronunciation quirks. The stress of every word falls on the second-to-last syllable.
-Second, the grammar is both regular and simplified. No irregular verbs, no grammatical gender (you don’t have to worry if “table” is masculine or feminine), and only one case to learn (the accusative, which marks the direct object and is always just the letter -n).
-Third, Esperanto’s system of word-building gives beginners a lot of ways to say things using a smaller number of words. And speakers of Esperanto tend to be exceedingly accepting of new learners and their more limited ways of expressing themselves. They were beginners once, too.
- What are the best resources to learn Esperanto?
Right now, the best resource for a motivated speaker of English is the book Complete Esperanto by Tim Owen and Judith Meyer. You can buy it on Amazon.
Good online resources include Lernu!, which is available in many languages, as well as the Esperanto course on Duolingo, currently available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
An older textbook that is available as a free download is David Richardson’s Esperanto: Learning and Using the International Language (available as a free PDF from Esperanto-USA). The annoted reading material in the second part of the book is especially useful, even if you’re mainly using another course.
- Will speaking Esperanto help me in my career or help me get a job?
While there are some people who have found work using Esperanto, they are an incredibly small minority. If you’re looking for a language that you can use professionally, Esperanto is not the wisest choice. But Esperanto will give you a better understanding the world, its cultures, and its peoples, which is likely to help you in your career, whatever it is. Of course, listing competence in Esperanto on your resume may make it stand out to some potential employers.
- How often is Esperanto taught in schools in the USA?
Very rarely. And there’s really no reason for it to be. Students in US schools are lucky to learn any language, and with limited resources, Spanish is probably a “best choice” from an educational perspective. Esperanto is a language people should choose to learn, not a language they are required to learn.
- Esperanto doesn’t seem to be very popular. Why?
Esperanto doesn’t have the natural head-start that comes from millions of native speakers (or a place in the formal educational system to create millions more), but it is widely spoken and used—far more than any other constructed language. In that sense, it actually is incredibly popular. Since its creation, millions of people have made contact with people they otherwise wouldn’t have met—through postcards, congresses, and now through the internet.
Esperanto’s core idea of bringing together people from different parts of the world has always been considered dangerous in closed societies, including in totalitarian regimes of all political persuasions. Esperantists perished in the gas chambers of Nazi Germany (although mostly for other reasons, such as their Jewish roots). But the largest persecution of Esperantists was in the Soviet Union, where in the course of one generation Esperanto went from being a favored means of communication with the outside world to the reason of someone’s execution under Stalin. The Esperanto movement recovered very slowly from these decades. See "La dangxera Lingvo" by Ulrich Lins, which tells how Esperanto suffered from imperialism, since its creation.
Due to its ability to create connections between people from different background, Esperanto threatens those who wish to control the flow of information, including those political leaders who wish to create hate among different peoples. But it has no political agenda other than bringing people together.
Esperanto isn’t spoken on every street corner, or even in every town. The majority of people don’t see much utility in being able to encounter new people from throughout the world. And that’s okay! You likely speak the language(s) you need in your family and immediate community—and if you don’t, your probably working on that language, with little interest in learning yet another language.
- I’ve read that Esperanto is the language of peace. What does that mean?
L.L. Zamenhof, the creator of Esperanto, grew up in a multi-lingual community where there were constant conflicts, and often physical assaults, among speakers of different languages (who represented different cultures). His vision was that if we all had a common second language, we could start to see “the other people” not as enemies or antagonists, but as siblings in the big human family. So it’s not just about peace—it’s also about understanding and friendship that leads to deeper awareness and empathy.
- Can I use Esperanto to speak with people in all countries of the world?
You can indeed, and this is really the unique value that Esperanto brings to the table. If you learn Icelandic, you can speak with people in Iceland, or people from Iceland who live in other countries. If you learn Igbo, you can speak with people in parts of Nigeria, or Igbo speakers who happen to live in other countries.
If you learn Esperanto, you can find people to speak and interact with in practically any country you’re interested in. You may not find a lot of Esperanto speakers, but you’re almost certain to find some.
- Is Esperanto a “serious” language and not just a frivolous hobby?
It’s unclear what a “serious” language is, but Esperanto is definitely a real language. Some people learn Esperanto and read, write, and speak it as a kind of hobby. There’s nothing wrong with that. Doing something as a hobby simply means doing something because you’re interested in it. Many people learn languages just because they’re interested in them. In fact, intense interest and enjoyment are usually required to learn any language—which is why so many people who were forced to learn a language in school don’t speak it well. And while collecting stamps or coins as a hobby gives you a big collection of stamps or coins, learning Esperanto gives you exposure to different cultures, literature you might never have encountered before, opportunities to meet interesting people, and even opportunities for travel and study.
- I’ve read that Esperanto is a neutral language. What does that mean?
All natural and national languages are connected in some way with a specific country, region, culture, or people group. And so the language naturally becomes a medium for the values, goals, and interests of the people who speak it. Esperanto is “neutral” in the sense that it doesn’t have that connection to any specific country, and so is not linked to national or ethnic values, goals, and interests.
Think about the immense social, political, and economic power of languages like English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian. Or think about the roles of French and Latin in previous centuries. That kind of power is competitive and divisive in nature—for one language to succeed, others need to submit to it. Esperanto seeks to equalizing and unifying instead.
- On YouTube there are a lot of videos talking about how Esperanto failed. Is it true? Did Esperanto fail? If so, why? If not, why not?
There are articles written by people who think Esperanto is a failed project, or who simply don’t like the language for one reason or another.
But the answer really depends on what you mean by “failed.” Esperanto is alive and well in the world, with lots of speakers, a huge literature, gatherings and courses of different kinds, and an immense presence in the Internet.
- English is already the universal language, isn’t it? So, learning Esperanto is a waste of time, right?
If you’re an English speaker, you might want to try being dropped off in central China and then make your way back home using only English. The idea of English as a universal language is a bit of a myth, held by (of course) English speakers, who often want to justify their monolingualism.
Esperanto might not help you any better in central China. But if you’ve learned Esperanto, you have an understanding of different languages and different cultures, and may be better prepared to figure out how to get home using other strategies.
It’s also important to recognize that the idea of English as a universal language really means “the language of the rich, powerful, and well-educated.” It doesn’t mean “a language accessible and useful to everyone.”
In previous centuries, speakers of Latin would have considered it the universal language, and in the 19th Century speakers of French would have been in the same position. The current status of English is not necessarily a permanent thing.
- Is Esperanto a globalist language?
Esperanto per se doesn’t have political aspirations of any kind. Some Esperanto speakers may support the idea of “one world government”. Others may support strong national identity, but value the ability to communicate with people in other nations and language groups. Some Esperanto speakers are apolitical, others are political activists.
- How can learning Esperanto help me?
This question is a great one to pose to different individual Esperanto speakers. Many people have travelled—sometimes to places they thought inaccessible. Some people have found their partner. A small number have even found meaningful work (both paid and volunteer). But everyone who has spoken Esperanto for a while has found new friends along with new perspectives on our world.
These questions and their answers are from the website https://esperantofaq.org/, not available anymore.