Kiam mi ne komprenas, mi demandas, kaj la amiko respondas.

When I do not understand, I ask, and the friend answers.

Breakdown of Kiam mi ne komprenas, mi demandas, kaj la amiko respondas.

• mi: I
• amiko: the friend
• kaj: and
• kompreni: to understand
• kiam: when
• demandi: to ask
• respondi: to answer

Questions & Answers about Kiam mi ne komprenas, mi demandas, kaj la amiko respondas.

What does kiam mean in this sentence?

Kiam translates to "when" in English. It introduces a clause that sets the time or condition under which the actions occur.

Why do all the verbs in the sentence end with -as (as in komprenas, demandas, respondas)?

In Esperanto, -as is the present tense ending used for all verbs regardless of the subject. This regular conjugation means that the same ending applies whether the subject is mi (I) or la amiko (the friend).

How is the negation expressed in the clause mi ne komprenas compared to English?

The word ne means "not" in Esperanto and is placed directly before the verb, similar to how English uses "do not" before the verb. Thus, mi ne komprenas directly corresponds to "I do not understand."

What is the function of the definite article la in la amiko respondas?

La is the definite article in Esperanto, equivalent to "the" in English. In la amiko, it specifies that a particular friend is being referred to, just as you would use "the" to indicate a specific friend in English.

How is the sentence structured, and why are commas used?

The sentence is composed of a subordinate clause (Kiam mi ne komprenas), followed by an independent clause (mi demandas), and then joined by the conjunction kaj to add another independent clause (la amiko respondas). Commas are used to clearly separate these clauses, enhancing clarity and readability.