La foto montras teruran akcidenton.

La is the definite article, meaning the. Esperanto has only one article: la. It does not change for gender, number, or case.

So:

• la foto = the photo
• foto = a photo / photo depending on context

Esperanto has no separate word for a/an.

In Esperanto, all present-tense verbs end in -as.

So:

• montri = to show
• montras = shows / is showing

This ending is the same for all subjects:

• mi montras = I show
• vi montras = you show
• la foto montras = the photo shows

Unlike English, the verb does not change depending on the subject.

The dictionary form is montri, which means to show.

Esperanto verbs have regular endings:

• -i = infinitive: montri = to show
• -as = present: montras = shows
• -is = past: montris = showed
• -os = future: montros = will show
• -us = conditional: montrus = would show
• -u = command / wish: montru = show!

Both words end in -n because they are the direct object of the verb montras.

The sentence structure is:

• La foto = subject
• montras = verb
• teruran akcidenton = direct object

In Esperanto, the direct object usually takes -n. This is called the accusative ending.

So:

• akcidento = accident
• akcidenton = accident (as a direct object)

And adjectives must match the noun they describe, so:

• terura akcidento = a terrible accident
• teruran akcidenton = a terrible accident (direct object)

Because adjectives in Esperanto agree with the nouns they describe.

Since akcidenton is:

• singular
• direct object

the adjective must match it:

• terura = terrible
• teruran = terrible (singular accusative)

Compare:

• terura akcidento = terrible accident
• teruraj akcidentoj = terrible accidents
• terurajn akcidentojn = terrible accidents (direct objects)

The ending -o marks a noun in Esperanto.

So:

• foto = photo
• akcidento = accident

This makes word classes very easy to recognize:

• -o = noun
• -a = adjective
• -e = adverb
• -i = infinitive verb

For example:

• teruro = terror
• terura = terrible
• terure = terribly

Yes, teruran here means terrible or horrible, with the -n added because it describes the direct object.

The base adjective is:

• terura = terrible, dreadful, horrifying

So in the sentence:

• teruran akcidenton = a terrible accident

Depending on context, English might translate it as terrible, horrific, or awful.

Not as strictly as in English. Because Esperanto marks the direct object with -n, word order is more flexible.

The normal order here is:

• La foto montras teruran akcidenton.

But these would still be understandable:

• Teruran akcidenton montras la foto.
• Montras la foto teruran akcidenton.

However, the original version is the most neutral and natural for learners: subject + verb + object.

Because la never changes in Esperanto.

It stays la no matter whether the noun is:

• singular or plural
• subject or object
• masculine, feminine, or neuter

Examples:

• la foto = the photo
• la fotojn = the photos
• la akcidento = the accident
• la akcidenton = the accident (object)

A simple pronunciation guide is:

La FO-to MON-tras te-RU-ran ak-tsi-den-TON

A few useful points:

• c is pronounced like ts
• j is like English y
• r is usually rolled or tapped
• stress is always on the second-to-last syllable

So:

• foto → FO-to
• montras → MON-tras
• teruran → te-RU-ran
• akcidenton → ak-tsi-den-TON

Yes. Esperanto present tense -as can often correspond to simple present or present progressive in English, depending on context.

So montras can mean:

• shows
• is showing

In this sentence, English would usually say The photo shows a terrible accident, but both ideas fit the Esperanto form.

Esperanto does not have an indefinite article.

So:

• akcidento can mean an accident or just accident, depending on context
• la akcidento specifically means the accident

That means teruran akcidenton naturally translates as a terrible accident here, even though there is no separate word for a.