Questions & Answers about Ili negocas kaj faras interkonsenton.
Why is ili used here?
Ili is the Esperanto pronoun for they. It refers to more than one person or thing.
In this sentence, ili negocas kaj faras interkonsenton, ili is the subject of both verbs:
- negocas = negotiate / are negotiating
- faras = make / are making
So Esperanto does not need to repeat ili before the second verb.
Why do both verbs end in -as?
In Esperanto, -as marks the present tense for all verbs.
So:
- negoci = to negotiate
- negocas = negotiate / are negotiating
And:
- fari = to do, to make
- faras = do / does / are doing / is doing / make / makes / are making
Esperanto verbs do not change depending on the subject. So:
- mi negocas
- vi negocas
- li negocas
- ili negocas
all use the same -as ending.
Does negocas mean negotiate or are negotiating?
It can mean either, depending on context.
Esperanto present tense is often broader than English present tense. -as can cover:
- they negotiate
- they are negotiating
The exact English translation depends on the situation, but the Esperanto form stays the same.