Mi povas ripozi hodiaŭ, sed mi ne povos ripozi morgaŭ.

I can rest today, but I will not be able to rest tomorrow.

Breakdown of Mi povas ripozi hodiaŭ, sed mi ne povos ripozi morgaŭ.

• mi: I
• hodiaŭ: today
• morgaŭ: tomorrow
• povi: can
• sed: but
• ripozi: to rest

Questions & Answers about Mi povas ripozi hodiaŭ, sed mi ne povos ripozi morgaŭ.

What is the difference between povas and povos in this sentence?

Povas is in the present tense and means “can” or “am able to,” while povos is in the future tense and means “will be able to.” This shows that the speaker can rest today but will not have that ability tomorrow.

Why is the negation ne placed before povos instead of after?

In Esperanto, the negative word ne is placed directly before the verb it negates. Therefore, mi ne povos clearly communicates “I will not be able to…” This placement avoids ambiguity and follows the language’s straightforward syntax.

What does the verb ripozi mean?

The verb ripozi means “to rest” or “to relax.” It is used here as the infinitive that follows the modal verbs for expressing ability.

What do the words hodiaŭ and morgaŭ mean?

Hodiaŭ translates to “today” and morgaŭ means “tomorrow.” They serve as time adverbs, specifying when the actions or abilities apply.

How do Esperanto verb endings indicate tense in this sentence?

Esperanto uses very regular verb endings to denote tense. The ending -as in povas indicates the present tense, and -os in povos indicates the future tense. This consistency makes it easy to recognize when an action is happening regardless of the subject.

Why is the conjunction sed used in this sentence?

The word sed functions as the conjunction “but.” It is used to contrast the two clauses: one expressing the ability to rest today and the other expressing the inability to rest tomorrow.

How does the modal verb structure work in Esperanto as shown in this sentence?

In Esperanto, modal verbs like povas (can) and povos (will be able to) are used alongside an infinitive (here, ripozi). This structure is similar to English constructions such as “can rest” or “will be able to rest,” and it follows a clear and regular pattern that does not change with the subject.