Volontuloj kolektas monon, subtenas konkurson kaj pendigas afiŝojn.

Because -o is the basic noun ending in Esperanto, and -j makes it plural.

• volontulo = a volunteer
• volontuloj = volunteers

So volontuloj tells you the subject is more than one volunteer.

The -n marks the direct object in Esperanto.

In this sentence, the volunteers are doing the actions to those things:

• kolektas monon = collect money
• subtenas konkurson = support a competition
• pendigas afiŝojn = put up posters

So the -n shows what receives each action.

Because afiŝojn is both plural and a direct object.

• afiŝo = poster
• afiŝoj = posters
• afiŝojn = posters, as the direct object

So the ending breaks down like this:

• -o = noun
• -j = plural
• -n = direct object

Here mono is being used as an uncountable noun, like English money.

So Esperanto usually keeps it singular:

• mono = money
• monon = money, as a direct object

You would only use a plural form like monoj in special contexts, such as talking about different currencies or kinds of money.

-as is the Esperanto ending for the present tense.

So:

• kolektas = collect / are collecting
• subtenas = support / are supporting
• pendigas = hang up / are hanging up

A useful thing for English speakers: Esperanto verbs do not change according to the subject.

• mi kolektas = I collect
• li kolektas = he collects
• ili kolektas = they collect

The verb ending stays -as every time.

Because the same subject, volontuloj, applies to all three actions.

So the sentence means that the volunteers:

1. collect money,
2. support a competition,
3. put up posters.

This works much like English: Volunteers collect money, support a competition, and put up posters.

Esperanto often avoids repeating the subject when it is already clear.

Kaj means and.

In a list of actions, Esperanto commonly uses commas between earlier items and kaj before the last one:

• kolektas monon, subtenas konkurson kaj pendigas afiŝojn

This is very similar to English punctuation and list structure.

This is an important Esperanto word-building point.

• pendi = to hang, to be hanging
• pendigi = to cause something to hang, to hang something up

So:

• La afiŝo pendas. = The poster is hanging.
• Ili pendigas afiŝojn. = They hang up posters.

The -ig- part often gives a causative meaning: make/become/cause to do or be. Here it means cause to hang.

Because the sentence is speaking about things in a general or indefinite way, not specific ones already identified.

So:

• Volontuloj = volunteers in general / some volunteers
• monon = money
• konkurson = a competition
• afiŝojn = posters

If the speaker meant specific ones already known in context, Esperanto could use la:

• La volontuloj kolektas la monon...

But in your sentence, the more general version is natural.

The sentence uses the normal Esperanto order:

subject + verbs + objects

• Volontuloj = subject
• kolektas / subtenas / pendigas = verbs
• monon / konkurson / afiŝojn = objects

Esperanto word order is somewhat flexible because the -n ending helps show what is the object. Still, this standard order is the clearest and most common, especially for learners.

Yes. All three verbs are in the present tense, so the sentence presents these as current or habitual activities of volunteers.

Depending on context, it could mean:

• they are doing these things now, or
• these are the kinds of things volunteers do.

Esperanto -as can cover both of those present-time ideas, just like English collect / are collecting depending on context.