Questions tagged [word-choice]
Use it for questions about which word, in a list of few words, you should use in a sentence.
109
questions
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Esperi, ke kaj u-verboj
Ŝajnas al mi, ke plejofte homoj uzas la u-modon por ĉi tiaj frazoj:
Mi volas, ke ni iru
Mi petas, ke vi helpu min
Kaj mi ŝatas ĉi tiun uzon. Tamen, mi konfuziĝas pri kiam oni devas uzas la u-modon. ...
3
votes
3answers
43 views
Can pro be followed by an infinitive verb?
For example:
Dankon pro helpi min
I know that it is grammatically incorrect to say “Dankon pro vi helpis min”, because a complete fraze cannot follow a preposition. You would need to say “Dankon pro ...
0
votes
4answers
83 views
Is it encouraged to use an invented root word if I don't like the sound of an existing root word?
Newbie here.
I really don't like the translation of the word "horse" into Esperanto: ĉevalo.
Is it encouraged to use your own root word if you think people will understand you?
I love the ...
4
votes
2answers
48 views
Kiam oni uzu "pensi" kaj "kredi"?
Kun ĉi tiaj frazoj, kiam oni uzu "pensi" kaj "kredi"?
Mi pensas, ke ĉio estas preta por la festo
aŭ
Mi kredas, ke ĉio estas preta por la festo
Mi pensas, ke mi volas iri
aŭ
...
3
votes
1answer
137 views
Kio estas la diferenco inter -int kaj -it?
Mi ne komprenas la diferencon inter -int kaj -it, precize instalinta kaj instalita. Mi nun tradukas aplikaĵon en Esperanton sed la traduko de "Installed" estas malfacila por mi kompreni.
0
votes
2answers
51 views
How I say way home in esperanto?
How I say way home in esperanto?
I find hejmenvojo in google translate but I don't know if this is correct.
If exist more than a way to say this expression the meaning is diferrent?
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Usage of oni + si in one sentence
How it will be right to use this combination? I mean some phrase like Se mia foresto ne ŝanĝas ion en onia vivo, tiam mia ĉeesto en sia vivo ne gravas. How can I note that (sia) vivo in the second ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
How important is it to learn all of the esperanto synonyms?
Is it necessary to learn all of the synonyms in Esperanto, like plaĝo/strando, or razeno/gazono/herbotapiŝo? sablohorloĝo/klepsidro is another one. Is there a list somewhere of which is the most ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Expressing multiples of something
The best way to illustrate the question is by example.
I now have {twice}/{double}/{two times the} the work to do, in half the time!
Of course, I do not want to limit it to this example, but it is ...
1
vote
3answers
88 views
Ĉu "ŝia edzino", aŭ "sia edzino?
Duolingo tradukas "Sophia and her wife" al "Sofia kaj ŝia edzino". Kial oni devas ne uzi "sia" en tiu ĉi frazo, anstataŭ la pronomo "ŝia"?
1
vote
1answer
101 views
How do you say the color orange in Esperanto?
I'm confused about oranĝkolora vs oranĝa for many reasons.
oranĝkolora explicitly means orange colored but is a mouthful compared to oranĝa.
The color-kolora pattern doesn't explicitly appear again ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Representing the present perfect continuous
Given that the simple present tense in Esperanto can represent the present perfect progressive, given context (e.g. a simple "faras" in "mi ĝin faras ekde iam antaŭe" can mean "I have been doing it ...
1
vote
2answers
139 views
Appropriateness of neologisms
A neologism, by definition, is probably not going to be as readily recognized or understood by a common speaker. However, they are (for the most part) created for a reason, and thus could see some use....
0
votes
2answers
43 views
To bump into something
What is the usual pattern for expressing bumping into something? From what I can tell, to walk into something is "promeni en ion", to fly into something is "flugi en ion", and so on. What about "to ...
2
votes
3answers
90 views
Difference between "tial" vs "do"
What is the difference between "tial" and "do"? What difference in meaning do the following two sentences have, if any? For example, in translating "My question is thus whether it is valid or not"...
...
1
vote
6answers
67 views
"It does not take me long to do it well"
Suppose I would like to say "It does not take me long to do it well". Which of the following are correct, and what differences in nuances might each of them have?
"Ne necesas ke mi longe fari ĝin ...
0
votes
1answer
206 views
How would one say "gracious" with grac- instead of graci-?
If one is gracious by showing social grace, they're gracia. But if one dispenses or exhibits grace, compassion and forgiveness regardless of the recipient's merit, would they be graca, gracema, ...
4
votes
1answer
107 views
Words with double letters claimed to be used by Zamenhof but not found in Tekstaro in his texts
So there are two words that PIV claims they were used by Zamenhof: nett/ (for net in "net weight") and ghett/ (ghetto), which doesn't sound like an Esperanto word at all due to the gh beginning. ...
1
vote
2answers
62 views
Ĉu la vorto “motorfiakro” ekzistas?
Laŭ ĉi tiu kritiko de Esperanto, ekzistas la vorto motorfiakro kiu havas la saman signifon kiel taksio kaj tio kaŭzas multe da konfuzo ĉar homoj lernas aŭ unu vorton aŭ la alian kaj tio kreas ...
6
votes
2answers
90 views
Kiom traduki "unit [of measurement]" (de "Maßeinheit")?
The English noun "unit" has several meanings, one of them (meaning No. 2 on Wiktionary) being the category of "meter", "inch", "volt", "ounces", "milliliters" etc.
unit (plural units)
(...
13
votes
2answers
455 views
6
votes
1answer
102 views
What is the correct word for "Future"?
For example, I've come across two different words, 'futuro' and 'estonteco'. According to several dictionaries 'futuro' relates to the future tense, whereas 'estonteco' refers to a future time. How ...
3
votes
2answers
45 views
Ekkrio pro malpureco aŭ naŭziĝo
Kion vi ekkrius/dirus, kiam vi trovus subite kaj neatendante ion aparte malpuran, naŭzan, malbonodoran, ktp?
Mi ne povis trovi bonan esprimon por tio. Mi nur trovis en mia nederlanda-Esperanto-...
6
votes
1answer
129 views
How to translate the pro- prefix from English?
In English you can say pro-whatever to say that you are in favour of something, such as pro-independence. I sometimes see people use the same prefix in Esperanto such as in mi estas pro-eŭropa. This ...
6
votes
2answers
115 views
"Pli malgranda" aŭ "malpli granda"?
Mi volas diri "smaller". Ĉu estas ajna alieco en signifo inter "pli malgranda" kaj "malpli granda"? Ĉu ili estas ĝuste samaj?
I want to say "smaller". Is there any difference in meaning between "pli ...
2
votes
1answer
548 views
What's the difference between multe and ofte?
When should an Esperanto speaker say ofte, and when multe?
A definition of ofte is 'often', a definition of multe is 'a lot'. When does an Esperanto speaker use which?
An example, what would be used ...
2
votes
1answer
87 views
What is the difference between "ĝis" and "al?"
I understand that ĝis means "up to", or "as far as", and al means "to", but when must one change between the two? Take Duolingo's example:
Mi vojaĝas tra Germanio ĝis Pollando.
Why would one use ...
5
votes
3answers
98 views
How would you name a "mechanical pencil" in Esperanto?
These are named "mechanical pencils" in English, but some other languages use the term "lead holder" (eg. French : portemine).
What word in esperanto would be the most understood?
4
votes
2answers
118 views
How often is "esperanto" used in Esperanto?
L. L. Zamenhof used "doktoro esperanto" as a pseudonym, where esperanto meaning "one who hopes," the present nominal participle of esperi, meaning "to hope" This eventually lead to "Esperanto" being ...
2
votes
2answers
59 views
In the English language or about the English language?
Ĝi estas angla filmo.
Does this mean that the language of the movie is English (understood by English speakers), or does this mean that the film is about the English language (the film may be in any ...
6
votes
3answers
242 views
How would you say “I should not have taught you that”?
How would you say I should not have taught you that? Which of the following sentences is correct?
Mi ne devus instruinta tiun al vi.
Mi ne estus devinta instrui tiun al vi.
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Correct word form
Which of the following is correct and why?
La ĉokolada kuko estas bongusta.
La ĉokolado kuko estas bongusto.
Also, which is correct in the following:
La kafo estas bongusto.
La kafo estas bongusta.
...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
"ties de", "la de" aŭ "tiu(j)(n) de"
Kiu el la jenaj frazoj estas ĝusta/malĝusta kaj kial?
1) Oni konas bestojn kaj ties danĝerojn, sed neniam ties de malsaĝulo.
2) Oni konas bestojn kaj ties danĝerojn, sed neniam la de malsaĝulo.
3) ...
7
votes
3answers
338 views
What’s the deal with “fariĝi”?
In a lot of places I see the word fariĝi when, from context, it seems that the speaker/writer just meant iĝi (to become). For example: «Mi studas por (far)iĝi kuracisto.»
Why is the radical far- used ...
5
votes
1answer
65 views
Ĉu oni diras "alta kvalito" aŭ "bona kvalito"?
Estas iel idiomaĵo mi supozas, kaj mi imagas ke varias inter lingvoj. Ĉu oni diras "alta" aŭ "bona" pri kvalitoj esperantlingve?
5
votes
1answer
150 views
What is the difference between "lernanto" and "studanto"?
Both "lernato" and "studanto" means "student", right? When should I use which one?
5
votes
2answers
52 views
Kiel oni nomu sian estron en la laborejo?
Ni imagu, ke mi estas en mia laborejo. Kiel mi nomu mian (rektan) estron, se mi volus diri al li aŭ ŝi ion sen uzi la nomon? Kiel mi komencas la parolon? Ĉu ĉi tiuj variantoj taŭgas:
Estro, mi ...
3
votes
3answers
513 views
Is there a difference between "temperaturo" and "varmeco"?
The Esperanto wikipedia defines "temperaturo" like this :
Temperaturo estas fizika eco de materio, la bazo de la komunaj nocioj
"varma" kaj "malvarma".
(Temperature is a physical property of ...
8
votes
2answers
536 views
7
votes
2answers
584 views
Ke vs. kiu: which one to use?
What is the difference between these two words? My dictionary mentions that both mean that, but how does one know which one to use? Can you please provide some examples? Dankon!
5
votes
3answers
159 views
Which word should I use for "nickname"?
I found many candidates in ReVo: alnomo, alinomo, kaŝnomo, kromnomo, karesnomo. I doubt they are all synonyms. In which situations should I use each one?
I'd like to find the one to use when ...
10
votes
3answers
356 views
What is the difference between "torto" and "kuko"?
Cakes are important matters, I think we can all agree on that ;) It seems to me as if there are two words in Esperanto: torto and kuko. What is the difference between them? I have a feeling they are ...
10
votes
3answers
280 views
What is the difference between "gaja", "ĝoja" and "feliĉa"?
Gaja, ĝoja and feliĉa are all happy in English. But I have gotten the impression that they are not synonyms. What is the difference between the three adjectives? When should I use each one?
6
votes
1answer
74 views
How would say someone had a "thick" or "broad" accent?
Like if you were saying "he has a thick accent" or "he has a broad accent."
6
votes
6answers
492 views
How do you format the time in Esperanto?
What are the ways and the most common ways to format times in Esperanto?
Is it like on a digital clock like 23:10, or more like 23h10 (in French), or 23h10m or other things?
7
votes
4answers
316 views
Is it possible to say the time in 24 hour?
Is it possible to say the time in 24 hour in Esperanto, like 22:34?
4
votes
2answers
108 views
Adverb or adjective for tio
Marko: Mi volas roli kiel soldato.
Polo: Tio estas bona / bone
Since tio is an -O word then should it be bona? Or, since the word tio is referring to a verb (roli), should it be bone?
8
votes
3answers
148 views
About "ĉu" and "se" in clauses [duplicate]
Which one is correct? If both, what's the difference?
Mi ne scias se ŝi ŝatas min.
Mi ne scias ĉu ŝi ŝatas min.
Mi legis ambaŭ tamen ĉu estas nuancoj?
8
votes
3answers
170 views
What's the difference between the words "aĵo" and "esto" and "estaĵo"
They all seem to be defined as "being", "entity", or "thing", though "estaĵo" also seems to be "creature." Where does this nuance come from? Why do each of these words exist, and how can I use each to ...
8
votes
3answers
170 views
When I assign sex to an animal, does it become li / ŝi?
I have only seen words like virkoko or kokino in sentences where they were a direct subject or object, I don't recall seeing either referred to by a pronoun. Would that still be ĝi or should I use li ...
