Questions tagged [word-meaning]
The word-meaning tag has no usage guidance.
78
questions
16
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Difference between ĉar and pro
It seems as though there is a lot of confusion over this topic. What is the difference between ĉar and pro? In what case would I use each word?
- 4,672
15
votes
5
answers
325
views
How to translate "to pledge"?
How to translate "You have successfully pledged €149.00 to Amikumu" ?
Could it be "sincere promesi"?
- 151
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the difference between "per", "por", "pri" and "pro"?
What is the difference between per, por, pri, and pro?
All these words look and feel sort of similar to me. What are the possible uses for each of them? How do I decide which to use?
- 411
12
votes
4
answers
1k
views
When to use "ĉu" instead of "se"?
I became aware that I don't know if he is friendly should not be translated into
Mi ne scias se* li estas amika
but into
Mi ne scias ĉu li estas amika
But why? Se means "if", so why it is ...
- 11.1k
12
votes
4
answers
369
views
Why "foj" is repeated in "fojfoje"?
The word fojfoje has a repetition of the root foj. Why and how does this alter the meaning of the word, compared to the word foje?
- 11.1k
12
votes
3
answers
202
views
How old is a "knabino"?
In English, the word girl is used for children but also teenagers and young women (let's say 20-25).
In Spanish, I learned that the word niña is only used for kids, I might guess something like up ...
- 12.4k
11
votes
3
answers
325
views
Kio estas la diferenco inter bezoni kaj necesi?
Mi komprenas ke bezoni alvenis de la franca kaj necesi estas latina vorto. Ĉu gravas la diferenco inter la du vortoj?
- 976
11
votes
2
answers
321
views
Prefixes vs Suffixes: Which one is strongest?
Sometimes a prefix and a suffix collide to form a word. An example is malino (mal- + -ino) which is sometimes used in informal language to mean ”a man”. However, I’ve often wondered: Which ’fix gets ...
- 1,998
10
votes
3
answers
4k
views
What is the difference between "trans" and "tra"?
These are some examples. Could you explain them, and mark the invalid ones?
Mi iras tra la strato.
Mi iras tra la straton.
Mi iras trans la strato.
Mi iras trans la straton.
- 3,293
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What is the difference between post and poste?
I've seen both post and poste used in various places. Normally the -e ending signifies an adverb, but post is already an adverb on its own (as I understand it).
Is it an error to use poste, or does ...
- 275
10
votes
2
answers
266
views
Kio estas la diferenco inter scivola kaj scivolema?
Mi preskaŭ ĉiam aŭdas scivolema, sed nun iu demandis min se oni ne povas simple diri scivola.
Mi pensas ke la -ema estas bona, sed kio fakte estas la diferenco inter la du vortoj?
Ekzemplo:
Mi ...
- 8,207
8
votes
3
answers
663
views
What is the difference between "violkolora" and "purpura"?
The translation for purple is violkolora. However, the word purpura also exists. Does it refer to the same color, or is it more similar to the French "pourpre", which is more red?
- 11.1k
8
votes
2
answers
748
views
What is “kioma” used for besides asking for the time?
As I have been taught by the Duolingo course, the word kioma is used when asking for the time:
Kioma horo estas?
I realise that it is made from the word kiom + -a (to make it an adjective?) but ...
- 6,078
8
votes
5
answers
186
views
Kio estas la vera signifo de "muĝi"?
Laŭ PIV, «muĝi» signifas:
1. Bleki, kiel bovo.
2. (figurasence) Aŭdigi fortan, obtuzan, longe tiratan sonon: muĝanta popolamaso.
Ŝajnas do, ke «bleki kiel bovo» estas la precipa signifo, ĉu ne? ...
- 884
8
votes
3
answers
321
views
How should I use "probable"?
I've seen people use "probable", but others tell me "versxajne" is better. Is there a difference between them? Are there situations when one is correct and the other isn't? If "versxajne" means "...
- 12.4k
8
votes
2
answers
106
views
Does “priskribi” only relate to a written description?
My dictionary gives priskribi as a translation of “describe”. However, looking at the word one would think it means to write about something. Presumably the English word “describe” has a similar ...
- 17.3k
8
votes
2
answers
481
views
What is the difference between *per* and *pere de*?
This question came up on another site and I thought it was a good one.
What is the difference between per and pere de? Both can be translated as "by means of". Can someone list some examples of these ...
- 21.3k
8
votes
2
answers
100
views
Kio estas la diferenco inter "oferi" kaj "oferti"?
Mi volas diri ke mi oferas/ofertas iun servon aŭ varon. Kiun verbon mi uzu? Kaj en kia kunteksto oni uzu la alian vorton?
Ekzemple:
"Mi oferas/ofertas tranokteblecon post la zamenhofa festo."
- 347
8
votes
2
answers
627
views
7
votes
2
answers
680
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!
- 839
7
votes
2
answers
108
views
The meaning of rekonilo
In reading the novel "La Sentimulo" (found online) I encountered the word "rekonilo", which I would translate as "thing to make something recognized" - possibly like an identity card? In the context ...
- 151
7
votes
1
answer
294
views
What's the meaning of "ol"?
I seem to get ol mixed up with al a lot. There's probably an awesome explanation out there. I think I try to think of it as than, but it doesn't work exactly right in contexts like antaux ol.
- 8,207
7
votes
1
answer
113
views
What is the difference between "grajno" and "greno"?
I cannot find out the exact difference between the Esperanto words "grajno" and "greno", they both translate to the English word "grain". So, what is the exact difference between both words?
- 3,218
7
votes
2
answers
160
views
What is the difference between "sinmortigi" and "memmortigi"?
As I understood the difference between "sin-" and "mem-":
Mi sinmortigis.
I killed myself (I killed me)
Mi memmortigis la ŝafon.
I killed the sheep myself (I killed it on my own)
But someone ...
- 11.1k
7
votes
1
answer
92
views
Kion signifas "Mi traktas min..."?
Mi legis el la profilo de flua esperantisto: Mi traktas min profesia esperantisto, ĉar...
Nu, mi neniam vidis la verbon trakti uzita por min kaj pensis, ĉu gramatike tio estas ĝusta kaj signifas Mi ...
- 556
7
votes
2
answers
204
views
What is the difference between "teda" and "enua"?
Teda and enua both mean boring, don't they? What is the difference between the two?
And hmm... lernu also lists enuiga. What is the meaning of this one?
- 12.4k
7
votes
1
answer
78
views
Kion signifas kesito?
19Kaj la kampoparton, sur kiu li starigis sian tendon, li aĉetis el la manoj de la filoj de Ĥamor, la patro de Ŝeĥem, por cent kesitoj. (Moseo 1: Genezo 33)
Kion signifas kesito? Ĉu ĝi estis antikva ...
- 437
7
votes
1
answer
877
views
What is the interaction between "-iĝi", "-igi", "-anta" and "-ata"?
Is it possible to construct Esperanto words ending with -iĝata, -iĝanta, -iganta, and -igata? For example, could I build humiligata, humiliĝata, humiliĝanta, and humiliganta from humila (humiliating)? ...
- 2,093
6
votes
3
answers
256
views
What's the word for "meme"
Someone used "memo" or "memeo" but I hardly agree either.
The first is misguiding as "mem" means self, so "memo" makes people think "memo" is the noun form.
"Memeo " is an unnecessary transliterated ...
- 813
6
votes
2
answers
298
views
Translate 'You must leave room for nature'
I am trying to translate 'You must leave room for nature' and I am not sure how to translate the word 'room' in this context.
So far I have considered:
Vi devas lasi ĉambron por naturo.
(google's ...
- 155
6
votes
1
answer
321
views
Why some esperanto-speakers call others "samideano"?
I have seen a lot of old Esperanto speakers in Facebook use the word samideano when adressing to other Esperanto speakers. Why are they using this word, and how an Esperanto-speaker is a member of a ...
- 11.1k
6
votes
1
answer
199
views
Kiu estu la signifo de "pardonon"?
Mi aŭdis homojn diri Pardonu min, Pardonu aŭ Pardonon kiam ili celas la saman aferon. Sed pri la lasta mi pensis: Se Dankon esprimas "Mi donas al vi dankon", ĉu Pardonon ne estas "Mi donas al vi ...
- 12.4k
6
votes
3
answers
223
views
Is "koramiko" gender neutral or always male?
amik·o, like most other nouns in Esperanto (and other than most or all Esperanto terms for specific relatives), is, as far as I know, sex- / gender-neutral.
Is that also the case for kor·amik·o? Or ...
- 3,663
6
votes
1
answer
55
views
Kiel disting(ig)i du signifojn de "kiel"?
Kiel havas kelkajn signifojn. Estas malfacile distingi aŭ distingigi du el ili. Ekzemple:
Kiel infano mi spertis feliĉajn jarojn.
"As a child" kaj "like a child" estas ĝustaj tradukaĵoj de kiel ...
- 271
6
votes
1
answer
76
views
Does "invervjuo" cover all meanings of the English word "interview"?
In German, the loanword "Interview" is mostly used for when a reporter, journalist or maker of a documentary interviews someone for the media/medium they're working for. A job interview however is ...
- 3,663
6
votes
1
answer
70
views
Kion ekzakte signifas la sufikso «-em-»?
Ĉu la sufikso -em- signifas longdaŭran tendencon al la radika vorto, aŭ ĉu nur momentan deziron por ĝi? Mi demandas pro ĉi tiu demando en kiu oni proponas dormema kiel tradukon de la angla vorto ...
- 17.3k
6
votes
1
answer
98
views
Ĉu “trapasi ekzamenon” signifas ke oni sukcesis je ĝi?
Ĉu trapasi ekzamenon signifas ke oni sukcesis aŭ nur ke oni ĉeestis kaj partoprenis, sen diri ion ajn pri la rezulto?
La angla kaj la franca havas similajn esprimojn, sed laŭ mia kompreno ili ne ...
- 17.3k
5
votes
3
answers
120
views
Kio estas la signifo de "falsidas"?
Mi legis Gerda malaperis kaj mi trovis la vorton falsidas. Ĝi ŝajnas esti kunmeto de fal- kaj sidas, sed mi ne scias kion fal- signifas. Tiu ĉi vorto nek estis en mia vortlisto por ĉapitro naŭ nek en ...
5
votes
2
answers
72
views
What is the difference between "bluverda", "verdblua" and "blua kaj verda"?
Is there a special meaning when several colors are compounded?
- 11.1k
5
votes
1
answer
106
views
Is there a difference between “plimalboniĝi” and “malpliboniĝi”?
I've run into both plimalboniĝi and malpliboniĝi and as far as I'm concerned they both mean deteriorate or become worse. Or is there a difference?
As suggested, the distinction might be related to ...
- 459
5
votes
3
answers
184
views
What would be the meaning of "adi"?
PMEG does not provide a theorical meaning for adi. What would be the most probable meaning of adi based on how other affixes are transformed into verbs?
- 11.1k
5
votes
1
answer
73
views
Kion signifas silanverino?
(You're more than welcome to correct my grammar!)
Mi estas leganta libron en Esperanto (Libazar' kaj Tero) kaj mi ofte trovas la saman vorton: silanverino. Sed, mi ne povas konjekti nek ĝian signifon ...
4
votes
4
answers
226
views
Is "saĝa" equivalent to "smart" nowadays?
Courses and dictionaries teach us that saĝa is equivalent to the English word "wise". However, I must say the Esperanto word is used way more frequently in my opinion. On the other hand, I haven't ...
- 12.4k
4
votes
1
answer
101
views
What's the difference between "uzantnomo", "uzulnomo", and "salutnomo"?
Are the words uzantnomo, uzulnomo, and salutnomo basically just variations of the same thing?
In English there are the words username, user ID, login name, login ID, etc, which all basically mean the ...
- 3,738
4
votes
2
answers
59
views
La du signifoj de “lasta”
Se mi diras la jenan ekzemplan frazon:
Ĉi tiu estas la lasta numero de la revuo Kontakto
ŝajnas ke povus esti du signifoj:
Tiu numero estas tiu kiu eldoniĝis antaŭ la plej mallonga tempo.
Neniam ...
- 17.3k
4
votes
1
answer
152
views
Krom *unukornulo*, kiuj vortoj kun *-ul* havas nehomajn signifojn?
Mi ĵus lernis la vorton unukornulo, kaj pensis al mi, ke ĝi estus erara ĉar ne temas pri homo.
Lau ReVo -ul tute ne havas nur homa signifon, sed la fundamentaj tradukoj uzas la vortojn person, Person,...
- 1,005
4
votes
1
answer
119
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. ...
4
votes
1
answer
166
views
What are the differences between word roots for "walking"
In order to say, "to walk" or "a walk" (noun) there seem to be different roots: marŝi (marŝo), promeni (promeno? or promenado?), piediri (noun?). Could someone please clarify the differences? e.g. Is ...
- 535
4
votes
1
answer
224
views
What is the difference between "luma" and "hela"?
Both seem related to the light. Hel seems to be used for colors while Lum seems to be used for everything else. What is the real difference of meaning between them?
- 11.1k
3
votes
7
answers
581
views
Is the "ge-" prefix in "gefratoj" necessary?
I was trying to translate the name of the game Smash Brothers into Esperanto. The best name I could find is Frakas-Gefratoj, but the ge- prefix feels clunky. I am wondering if I could remove it in ...
- 11.1k