Learn Hardcore Esperanto: Mi interesiĝas pri via libro, ĉar ĝi enhavas novajn vortojn. - I am interested in your book, because it contains new words.

Interesiĝas is the present tense of the reflexive verb interesiĝi, which means “to be interested in.” In Esperanto, many verbs that describe a change of state or a subjective condition (like feeling interest) are reflexive. Here, it indicates that the subject (mi – “I”) experiences the state of being interested.

Why is the preposition pri used after interesiĝas?

The preposition pri means “about” or “concerning” and is used with interesiĝi to indicate the object or topic of interest. In other words, when you say “mi interesiĝas pri via libro,” you are expressing that your interest is focused on “your book.”

What role does ĉar play in the sentence?

Ĉar is a subordinating conjunction that means “because.” It introduces the reason or explanation for the speaker’s interest. The sentence is structured to show cause and effect: the speaker is interested in the book because it contains new words.

How do adjectives and nouns agree in Esperanto, as seen in novajn vortojn?

In Esperanto, adjectives must agree with the nouns they modify in both number and case. In this example, vortojn is the accusative plural form of vortoj since it is the direct object of the verb enhavas (“contains”), and the adjective novajn also takes the accusative plural ending (-n) to match vortojn (meaning “new words”).

Why does vorto change to vortojn instead of remaining as vortoj?

Because enhavas is a transitive verb that takes a direct object, the noun representing that object must carry the accusative ending. Moreover, since the sentence implies multiple words, vorto (singular) becomes vortoj (plural), and then the accusative ending (-n) is added to form vortojn.

What is the significance of the pronoun ĝi in this sentence?

The pronoun ĝi is a third-person singular neutral pronoun in Esperanto, generally used to refer to non-human subjects or objects. In this sentence, ĝi refers back to via libro (“your book”), maintaining clarity and avoiding repetition in the subordinate clause.

Could you explain briefly how the overall sentence translates into English?

Certainly! The sentence Mi interesiĝas pri via libro, ĉar ĝi enhavas novajn vortojn translates to “I am interested in your book because it contains new words.” Each part of the sentence – the verb use, the prepositional phrase, and the subordinate clause – aligns with the typical English structure while illustrating key grammatical features of Esperanto.