Learn Hardcore Esperanto: Mi kuras al la ĝardeno.

In Esperanto, verbs in their present tense form always end with -as. For example, mi kuras (I run), vi manĝas (you eat), li/ŝi/dĝi rigardas (he/she/it looks). The -as ending is a straightforward marker for the ongoing or habitual present tense.

Why do we use the definite article la here?

Esperanto uses la just like English uses "the" to indicate a specific, already "known" noun. So, in la ĝardeno, you're talking about the garden—a particular one that both the speaker and listener presumably know about.

What does al indicate in this sentence?

Al generally means "to" or "toward," indicating direction or movement toward something. In Mi kuras al la ĝardeno, it shows you are running in the direction of the garden.

Is there a difference between Mi kuras al la ĝardeno and Mi kuras en la ĝardeno?

Yes. Mi kuras al la ĝardeno means you're running to/toward the garden, implying movement from somewhere else into that space. Mi kuras en la ĝardeno means you’re running in the garden, indicating you're already inside it and describing your activity there.

Is it necessary to include Mi in Esperanto, or can I just say Kuras al la ĝardeno?

In Esperanto, the subject pronoun usually isn’t dropped because it’s helpful to identify who is performing the action, especially in simpler statements. Unlike some languages where the verb ending alone can indicate the subject, in Esperanto -as just tells you it’s a present tense verb. Therefore, Mi kuras al la ĝardeno is the most natural form.