Hieraŭ mi atendis vin dek minutojn ĉe la haltejo.

In Esperanto, -is marks the past tense of a verb.

• atendi = to wait
• atendis = waited

So mi atendis means I waited.

This is much simpler than English: the verb ending tells you the time, and it does not change for different persons.

• mi atendis = I waited
• vi atendis = you waited
• li atendis = he waited

Because atendi takes a direct object in Esperanto.

• vi = you
• vin = you, as the object of the verb

So:

• mi atendis vin = I waited for you

This is a very common point for English speakers, because English uses wait for someone, but Esperanto simply uses atendi iun.

Compare:

• Mi vidas vin. = I see you.
• Mi atendas vin. = I am waiting for you.

The -n marks the object.

Here, -n is being used for duration of time.

So:

• dek minutoj = ten minutes
• dek minutojn = for ten minutes

In Esperanto, a measure of time, distance, or amount can take -n without a preposition.

So:

• Mi atendis vin dek minutojn. = I waited for you for ten minutes.

This is different from the -n on vin, but it is still the same ending. Esperanto uses -n for several purposes, including:

1. direct object
2. motion toward something
3. duration/measure in certain expressions

Yes. You could say:

• Mi atendis vin dum dek minutoj.

That also means I waited for you for ten minutes.

Both are correct:

• dek minutojn = accusative of duration
• dum dek minutoj = with the preposition dum meaning during/for

The version in your sentence is very natural and common.

ĉe usually means at, by, or near.

So:

• ĉe la haltejo = at the bus stop / by the stop

This is the normal choice if you mean you were waiting at that location.

en means in or inside. So en la haltejo would suggest being physically inside something, such as a bus shelter. That is possible in some situations, but it is not the default meaning here.

So ĉe la haltejo is the most natural way to say at the stop.

It comes from:

• halti = to stop
• -ej- = place
• -o = noun ending

So haltejo literally means a stopping place.

In everyday use, it usually means a stop, such as a bus stop or tram stop.

This is a nice example of how Esperanto builds words from parts.

la means the.

So la haltejo = the stop.

It is used because the speaker means a specific, known stop. In the sentence, it is not just any stop; it is the stop that both speaker and listener can identify from context.

Esperanto uses la much like English uses the.

Esperanto word order is fairly flexible, because endings show the grammatical roles.

So these are all possible:

• Hieraŭ mi atendis vin dek minutojn ĉe la haltejo.
• Mi atendis vin hieraŭ dek minutojn ĉe la haltejo.
• Ĉe la haltejo mi atendis vin hieraŭ dek minutojn.

However, the original order is very natural. Putting Hieraŭ first gives the time setting immediately: Yesterday...

Even though Esperanto allows flexibility, learners should usually start with the most straightforward order.

A rough guide:

• Hieraŭ ≈ hee-eh-row
• ĉe ≈ cheh

A few details:

• ĉ sounds like ch in chair
• ŭ is a very short w-like sound, and here it combines with a to make aŭ, roughly like ow in cow

Esperanto spelling is very regular, so once you know the letters, pronunciation is predictable.

You could build a more complicated form, but Esperanto normally prefers the simple tense:

• mi atendis vin = I waited for you / I was waiting for you

The plain past tense often covers what English expresses with either waited or was waiting, depending on context.

So in most ordinary situations, atendis is exactly what you want. Esperanto usually avoids unnecessary verb complexity.

Yes, when the thing or person being waited for is the object.

So:

• Mi atendas vin. = I am waiting for you.
• Ni atendis la buson. = We waited for the bus.
• Ŝi atendas respondon. = She is waiting for an answer.

This is one of the most important usage differences from English. English says wait for, but Esperanto usually just says atendi + object.