Aldonu la pizojn.

Add the peas.

Breakdown of Aldonu la pizojn.

• la: the
• pizo: the pea
• aldoni: to add

Questions & Answers about Aldonu la pizojn.

What does Aldonu mean, and what is the -u ending?

Aldonu is the verb aldoni in the imperative / jussive form.

• aldoni = to add
• aldonu = add! / let ... add

In this sentence, it is a direct command, so Aldonu means Add.

The ending -u is used in Esperanto for:

• commands: Venu! = Come!
• requests: Helpu min. = Help me.
• suggestions or wishes: Ni iru. = Let’s go.

So Aldonu la pizojn. is a command: Add the peas.

Why is the verb at the beginning of the sentence?

Esperanto word order is fairly flexible, but the most common order in simple commands is often just:

Verb + object

So:

• Aldonu la pizojn. = Add the peas.

This is very natural in Esperanto. You could change word order in some contexts, but this is the normal straightforward way to give an instruction.

Why is there la in la pizojn?

La is the definite article, meaning the.

So:

• pizoj = peas
• la pizoj = the peas

Esperanto has only one article, la, and it does not change for singular, plural, or case.

That means:

• la pizo = the pea
• la pizoj = the peas
• la pizon = the pea as a direct object
• la pizojn = the peas as a direct object