Questions & Answers about La ŝtata imposto aperas en la buĝeto.
Why is it ŝtata and not ŝtato?
Ŝtato is a noun meaning state. In Esperanto, changing the noun ending -o to the adjective ending -a gives ŝtata, meaning state-, governmental, of the state.
So English state tax is naturally ŝtata imposto in Esperanto. Esperanto usually prefers an adjective here instead of stacking two nouns together the way English often does.
Why does ŝtata have to match imposto?
Because adjectives in Esperanto agree with the nouns they describe.
Here:
- ŝtata = adjective
- imposto = singular noun
Since imposto is singular and has no accusative -n, the adjective also stays singular and has no -n.
Compare:
- ŝtata imposto = a state tax
- ŝtataj impostoj = state taxes
- ŝtatan imposton = a state tax as a direct object
- ŝtatajn impostojn = state taxes as direct objects
This agreement is one of the most important patterns in Esperanto.
What does the ending -as in aperas mean?