Paroli is the regular verb for the activity of speaking or talking. It is normally intransitive: the topic follows pri, a conversation partner follows kun, and the language can be expressed with en, an adverb, or a conventional language object. This contrasts with transitive diri, which presents particular words or information as its object.
Complete regular paradigm
| Form | Function | Typical translation |
|---|---|---|
| paroli | infinitive | to speak, to talk |
| parolas | present indicative | speak(s), is speaking |
| parolis | past indicative | spoke, was talking |
| parolos | future indicative | will speak, will talk |
| parolus | conditional | would speak, would talk |
| parolu | volitive | speak!, talk!, let ... speak |
Bonvolu paroli iom pli malrapide; mi ankoraŭ lernas.
Please speak a little more slowly; I'm still learning.
Ŝi parolus pli libere, se la kunveno estus malpli formala.
She would speak more freely if the meeting were less formal.
The form is invariant across subjects: mi parolas, li parolas, ili parolas. Manner is normally adverbial: paroli klare, laŭte, mallaŭte, rapide, sincere.
The topic follows pri
The subject matter of a conversation or speech is introduced by pri.
Ni parolis pri la nova laborhoraro dum la tagmanĝo.
We talked about the new work schedule during lunch.
La preleganto parolos pri artefarita inteligenteco kaj edukado.
The lecturer will speak about artificial intelligence and education.
Mi ne volas plu paroli pri tiu argumento hodiaŭ.
I don't want to talk about that argument anymore today.
Because ordinary paroli is intransitive, la nova laborhoraro cannot simply become la novan laborhoraron after it. Esperanto offers two correct patterns: paroli pri la horaro or the prefixed transitive verb priparoli la horaron.
Ni jam priparolis la buĝeton; nun ni devas decidi.
We have already discussed the budget; now we need to decide.
The difference is mainly structural and aspectual. Paroli pri can mean talk about a topic without implying a complete discussion. Priparoli presents the topic as what the participants discuss and often suggests more focused treatment.
A conversation partner follows kun
Use kun when the other person participates in the exchange.
Mi devas paroli kun la kuracisto pri la testrezultoj.
I need to speak with the doctor about the test results.
Ĉu vi jam parolis kun viaj najbaroj pri la bruo?
Have you spoken with your neighbors about the noise yet?
The two prepositional phrases can coexist because they express different roles: kun la kuracisto identifies the interlocutor, while pri la testrezultoj identifies the topic.
The broader principles behind such lexical complement choices are developed in Verb–Preposition Frames.
Use al when speech is directed at someone without presenting a reciprocal conversation—especially an audience, group, or person being addressed.
La prezidanto parolis al la publiko sen antaŭpreparita teksto.
The president spoke to the public without a prepared text.
Ne parolu al mi tiel; ni povas diskuti sen krii.
Don't speak to me like that; we can discuss this without shouting.
Paroli al is not ungrammatical, but it highlights direction. If you mean “have a conversation with,” paroli kun is the reliable choice.
Speaking a language
Esperanto has several established ways to name the language used:
| Pattern | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| paroli Esperanton | command or use of the language | Ŝi parolas Esperanton flue. |
| paroli en Esperanto | language chosen for an interaction | Ni parolis en Esperanto. |
| paroli Esperante | speaking in Esperanto, adverbially | Bonvolu paroli Esperante. |
Mia frato parolas Esperanton flue, sed li ankoraŭ malrapide skribas Esperante.
My brother speaks Esperanto fluently, but he still writes slowly in Esperanto.
Ĉu ni povas paroli en Esperanto dum la intervjuo?
Can we speak in Esperanto during the interview?
En la paŭzo ĉiuj provis paroli Esperante.
During the break everyone tried to speak Esperanto.
The direct-object pattern is a conventional extension: a language is something one speaks. En Esperanto instead presents the language as the medium. With adjectival language names, forms such as angle and en la angla are common; do not mechanically add en plus an accusative.
Knowing a language and using it are different claims. Mi konas Esperanton can mean that I am acquainted with the language; mi parolas Esperanton says that I speak it. Mi scipovas paroli Esperanton explicitly presents speaking as an acquired skill.
Paroli versus diri
English “speak,” “talk,” “say,” and “tell” overlap, but Esperanto keeps a useful contrast.
Ni parolis dum unu horo, sed li diris nenion pri la vera problemo.
We talked for an hour, but he said nothing about the real problem.
— Pri kio vi parolis? — Pri la vojaĝo. — Kaj kion ŝi diris? — Ke ŝi ne povos veni.
— What did you talk about? — The trip. — And what did she say? — That she won't be able to come.
Paroli measures or characterizes the speaking event: paroli longe, paroli kun iu, paroli pri io. Diri selects content: diri vorton, diri la veron, diri ke.... A long conversation may contain many things that are diritaj.
See Diri: To Say for direct quotation, recipients with al, and reported content.
For a prepared public presentation, prelegi “lecture/present a paper” or fari paroladon “give a speech” may be more specific. For relaxed social talk, babili is (informal) “chat.” These alternatives describe types of speaking; they do not make neutral paroli stylistically weak.
Participles and passive use
The active participles are fully productive:
| Form | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| parolanta | speaking, talking | la parolanta gasto |
| parolinta | having spoken | la ĵus parolinta delegito |
| parolonta | about to speak | la sekva parolonto |
La sekva parolonto petis kvin minutojn por prepari siajn notojn.
The next speaker asked for five minutes to prepare their notes.
Although ordinary paroli pri io has no direct object, passive-looking forms occur in established uses. Parolata lingvo means “a spoken language,” and impersonal estas parolate pri... means “there is talk about...” in (formal) or written styles.
En la raporto estas multe parolate pri kostoj, sed preskaŭ nenio pri kvalito.
The report talks a great deal about costs, but almost not at all about quality.
Everyday prose usually prefers an active subject—la raporto multe parolas pri kostoj or oni multe parolas pri kostoj—because it is lighter.
Productive compounds and family members
- ekparoli — begin to speak
- interparoli — converse with one another
- alparoli — address someone directly
- priparoli ion — discuss something
- elparoli — pronounce, articulate aloud
- parolanto — speaker; parolado — a speech or extended act of speaking
- parolema — talkative
Kiam la estro ekparolis, la tuta ĉambro silentiĝis.
When the manager began to speak, the whole room fell silent.
La instruisto elparolis la novan vorton malrapide kaj petis la lernantojn ripeti ĝin.
The teacher pronounced the new word slowly and asked the students to repeat it.
Post la kunveno mi mallonge interparolis kun du aliaj partoprenantoj.
After the meeting I had a brief conversation with two other participants.
The compounds remain regular: priparolis, alparolos, elparolu. Their first element changes the lexical frame: notably, priparoli and alparoli normally take direct objects.
Register and frequency
Paroli is high-frequency and neutral in every register. Parolado can be a prepared speech or extended speaking; prelego is a lecture; diskuti suggests exchange of arguments; interparoli is neutral but somewhat less frequent than paroli kun in casual conversation. Clear international usage favors an explicit pri, kun, or al when the role might otherwise be ambiguous.
The root parol- and regular endings are foundational. Paroli pri, paroli kun, and the three language patterns are established usage rather than competing reforms. The recommendation to prefer kun for a two-way exchange and al for directed address is pedagogical: it exposes a meaning contrast that context can sometimes blur.
Common Mistakes
Making the topic a direct object of ordinary paroli
❌ Ni parolis la problemon dum la tuta vespero.
Incorrect — ordinary paroli introduces its topic with pri.
✅ Ni parolis pri la problemo dum la tuta vespero.
We talked about the problem all evening.
Copying English “talk with” without the preposition
❌ Mi devas paroli la administranton.
Incorrect — a conversation partner follows kun.
✅ Mi devas paroli kun la administranto.
I need to speak with the manager.
Using al for a reciprocal conversation
❌ Hieraŭ mi parolis al mia amiko dum du horoj.
Misleading for a two-way conversation — al presents speech directed at the friend.
✅ Hieraŭ mi parolis kun mia amiko dum du horoj.
Yesterday I talked with my friend for two hours.
Adding directional accusative to the language medium
❌ Ni parolis en Esperanton dum la kunveno.
Incorrect — the language is a medium, not a destination.
✅ Ni parolis en Esperanto dum la kunveno.
We spoke in Esperanto during the meeting.
Using paroli for exact stated content
❌ Ŝi parolis, ke la trajno malfruos.
Incorrect — a specific reported message uses diri.
✅ Ŝi diris, ke la trajno malfruos.
She said that the train would be late.
Key Takeaways
- Ordinary paroli is intransitive: use pri for a topic and kun for a conversation partner.
- Paroli al iu highlights directed speech; paroli kun iu highlights an exchange.
- Paroli Esperanton, paroli en Esperanto, and paroli Esperante are all established, with different focus.
- Diri selects a particular message; paroli describes speaking or conversation.
- Prefixes such as pri-, al-, inter-, and el- create regular verbs with their own conventional frames.
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Start learning Esperanto →Related Topics
- Diri: To SayA2 — Use diri for spoken content, add recipients with al, and choose correctly among direct quotation, ke-clauses, and productive compounds.
- Verb-Preposition FramesB1 — Learn which Esperanto verbs take direct objects and which select al, pri, de, kun, or je—and how the frame changes meaning.
- PriB2 — Use pri to mark a topic, concern, or matter that an action, text, thought, or relationship is about.
- KunB1 — Use kun for accompaniment and associated circumstances, while distinguishing companions from instruments, topics, and opponents.
- EnB1 — Use en for location within a place, period, or state, and add directional -n when something enters a new interior or result.
- Conversation Management PhrasesB2 — Open, hold, repair, redirect, and close an Esperanto conversation with pragmatic frames suited to different levels of formality.