Ni reduktas la konsumon de plasto.

Reduktas comes from the verb redukti, meaning to reduce.

The ending -as is the present-tense verb ending in Esperanto, so reduktas means reduce / reduces / am reducing / are reducing / is reducing, depending on context.

So Ni reduktas can mean:

• We reduce
• We are reducing

Esperanto does not usually make the same simple-present vs. present-progressive distinction that English does. Context tells you which one is meant.

The -n marks the direct object.

In this sentence, the thing being reduced is la konsumo (the consumption), so it becomes la konsumon.

Breakdown:

• Ni = we
• reduktas = reduce
• la konsumon = the consumption

So the -n shows what receives the action of the verb.

The base noun is konsumo.
With the object ending, it becomes konsumon.

La is the definite article, like English the.

So:

• konsumo = consumption
• la konsumo = the consumption

In this sentence, la konsumon de plasto means the consumption of plastic.

Using la makes the phrase sound definite and complete, much like English does in the consumption of plastic.

You may also sometimes see Esperanto omit la in similar sentences, depending on nuance, but here la konsumon is very natural.

This is a very common question.

Here, de means of:
la konsumo de plasto = the consumption of plastic

You use de when one noun is related to another in an of relationship.

By contrast, da is used mainly with words of quantity, measure, or amount, such as:

• multe da akvo = a lot of water
• kilo da rizo = a kilo of rice

Since konsumo is not a quantity word like multe or kilo, Esperanto uses de, not da.

So:

• correct: konsumo de plasto
• not here: konsumo da plasto

Because plasto here means plastic as a material or substance in general, not plastic items counted one by one.

This is similar to English, where we often say:

• the use of plastic
• the consumption of plastic

not necessarily plastics

So de plasto means of plastic in a general, material sense.

If you said de plastoj, that would mean of plastics, suggesting different kinds of plastics or individual plastic objects, depending on context.

Because plasto is not the direct object of the main verb.

The direct object of reduktas is la konsumon, so that is the word that gets -n.

But plasto comes after the preposition de:

• de plasto = of plastic

Nouns after prepositions normally do not take the accusative -n unless there is some special reason, and there is no such reason here.

So:

• la konsumon gets -n
• plasto does not

Usually, konsumo de plasto is the clearer and more natural choice.

That is because konsumo de plasto clearly means:

• consumption of plastic

But plasta konsumo would literally mean something like:

• plastic consumption

and that can sound ambiguous, as if the consumption itself were somehow plastic.

Esperanto often prefers noun + de + noun when English would also use of.

So in this sentence, konsumo de plasto is the best form.

No, Esperanto word order is fairly flexible, because endings show the grammar.

The normal, most straightforward order is:

• Ni reduktas la konsumon de plasto.

But because konsumon has the object ending -n, the sentence could be rearranged for emphasis and still be understood.

That said, for learners, it is best to use the standard order:

• subject: Ni
• verb: reduktas
• object: la konsumon de plasto

This is the clearest and most natural version in most contexts.

Yes.

In Esperanto, the present tense in -as often covers both:

• We reduce
• We are reducing

So Ni reduktas la konsumon de plasto can mean either, depending on context.

If the context is about a general policy or habit, it may sound like We reduce the consumption of plastic.

If the context is about something happening now or during a current campaign, it may sound like We are reducing the consumption of plastic.