Learn Hardcore Esperanto: Tamen hodiaŭ mi sentas min malfeliĉa, ĉar mi ne povas plenumi mian laboron. - However, today I feel unhappy, because I cannot complete my work.

Tamen means "however". It signals a contrast or exception to what might be expected from earlier context. Even if no previous sentence is given, it implies that today is an exception to the norm.

What is the meaning and function of hodiaŭ in this sentence?

Hodiaŭ means "today". It functions as an adverb giving a time reference. Although many adverbs in Esperanto end in -e, hodiaŭ is an exception with its own unique form.

Why does the sentence use mi sentas min instead of just mi sentas?

In Esperanto, verbs like senti (“to feel”) that describe personal states typically require the reflexive pronoun when referring to the subject’s own state. So mi sentas min malfeliĉa literally translates to "I feel myself unhappy", which in natural English is "I feel unhappy".

What does malfeliĉa mean, and why is the prefix mal- used?

Malfeliĉa means "unhappy". The prefix mal- is used in Esperanto to form the opposite of an adjective. Since feliĉa means "happy", adding mal- creates its antonym.

Why is laboron written with an -n at the end, and what role does mian play here?

In Esperanto, the -n ending marks the accusative case, which is used for the direct object of a verb. Laboron (from laboro, meaning “work”) is the object of plenumi. The possessive adjective mia also takes the accusative form (mian) to agree with the noun it modifies.

What does ĉar mean and how does it function in the sentence?

Ĉar translates to "because". It introduces the reason for the speaker’s state, explaining why they feel unhappy.

What is the meaning of the verb plenumi in this context?

Plenumi means "to complete" or "to fulfill". In this sentence, it conveys that the speaker is unable to finish or carry out their work.

How flexible is word order in Esperanto, and does it affect the meaning of this sentence compared to English?

Esperanto’s clearly marked grammatical endings (like the accusative -n) allow for a relatively flexible word order without losing clarity. However, the order chosen here—beginning with the contrastive Tamen, followed by the time adverb hodiaŭ, the subject, and then the rest—helps emphasize the contrast and causal relationship, much like in standard English constructions.