Translate English to Esperanto
Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed language in the world, with an estimated 100,000 to 2 million speakers across every continent. Created by L.L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was designed to be easy to learn and serve as a neutral international language. Whether you are joining the Esperanto community, attending a Universala Kongreso, or curious about the language, paste your English text above.
Common English to Esperanto translations
| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Saluton | sah-LOO-ton | ||
| Good morning | Bonan matenon | BOH-nahn mah-TEH-non | ||
| Thank you | Dankon | DAHN-kon | ||
| Please | Bonvolu | bon-VOH-loo | ||
| How much does this cost? | Kiom tio kostas? | kee-OM TEE-oh KOS-tahs | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | Kie estas la necesejo? | kee-EH ES-tahs lah neh-tseh-SEH-yoh | ||
| I do not understand | Mi ne komprenas | mee neh kom-PREH-nahs | ||
| Can you help me? | Ĉu vi povas helpi min? | choo vee POH-vahs HEL-pee meen | ||
| I would like coffee | Mi ŝatus kafon | mee SHAH-toos KAH-fon | ||
| The bill, please | La kalkulon, bonvolu | lah kal-KOO-lon bon-VOH-loo | ||
| Nice to meet you | Ĝojas konati vin | JOY-ahs koh-NAH-tee veen | ||
| Goodbye | Ĝis revido | jis reh-VEE-doh | ||
| I need a doctor | Mi bezonas kuraciston | mee beh-ZOH-nahs koo-rah-TSEES-ton | ||
| Excuse me | Pardonu | par-DOH-noo |
Tips for English to Esperanto translation
Esperanto was designed with 16 grammar rules and no exceptions. Every noun ends in -o, every adjective in -a, every adverb in -e, and verbs follow completely regular conjugation patterns. Present tense always ends in -as, past in -is, and future in -os. This regularity makes Esperanto one of the easiest languages to learn.
Esperanto has six special characters: Ĉ (ch), Ĝ (j as in “judge”), Ĥ (h as in “loch”), Ĵ (zh), Ŝ (sh), and Ŭ (w). These use circumflex accents over the base letters. Some systems use the “x-system” (cx, gx) or “h-system” (ch, gh) when accented characters are not available.
Esperanto word building uses a productive system of prefixes and suffixes. Lerni (to learn) + -ejo (place) = lernejo (school). Mal- (opposite) + bona (good) = malbona (bad). This system lets speakers create new words on the fly from a relatively small root vocabulary.
Esperanto has no native speakers in the traditional sense, though several thousand people have grown up speaking it at home alongside a national language. It has a thriving culture with original literature, music, podcasts, annual congresses, and one of the largest Wikipedias. It is officially recognized by UNESCO and taught in some university programs.
About the Esperanto language
Esperanto was created by Polish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof and published in 1887 under the pseudonym “Doktoro Esperanto” (one who hopes). The goal was to create an easy-to-learn, politically neutral language that could serve as a universal second language for international communication. While it never achieved universal adoption, it has maintained a dedicated community for over 130 years.
Esperanto vocabulary draws primarily from Romance and Germanic roots, making it recognizable to speakers of European languages. The grammar, however, is intentionally simplified and regularized: there are no irregular verbs, no grammatical gender exceptions, and only two cases (nominative and accusative). Studies have shown that learning Esperanto first significantly accelerates the acquisition of other languages, a phenomenon known as the propaedeutic effect.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up, no fees.
Yes. It has been in continuous use since 1887 with an active global community, literature, music, and annual congresses.
Yes. Click the speaker icon. Esperanto pronunciation is completely regular.
Estimates range from 100,000 to 2 million, depending on proficiency level counted.
Very accurate. Esperanto's regular grammar makes it one of the easiest languages for automated translation.
Six special characters: Ĉ, Ĝ, Ĥ, Ĵ, Ŝ, Ŭ. They represent specific sounds not covered by the basic Latin alphabet.
Visit our Esperanto to English page.
Yes.
One of the easiest. Studies show it takes about one-quarter the time of learning a natural European language.
Over 60 pairs including all major European and Asian languages.
Need the reverse? Try Esperanto to English translation.
