Word
Skanu la strekkodon; la karto ankoraŭ validas.
Meaning
Scan the barcode; the card is still valid.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Skanu la strekkodon; la karto ankoraŭ validas.
la
the
ankoraŭ
still
karto
the card
strekkodo
the barcode
Questions & Answers about Skanu la strekkodon; la karto ankoraŭ validas.
Why does skanu end in -u?
Because -u is the Esperanto verb ending for a command, request, or instruction.
- skani = to scan
- skanu = scan! / please scan
In this sentence, Skanu la strekkodon is an instruction such as you might see on a machine, terminal, or sign.
A useful point for English speakers: -u does not show singular vs. plural. So skanu can mean:
- scan! (to one person)
- scan! (to several people)
- please scan
It is often less harsh than a bare English command can sound.
Why is there an -n on strekkodon?
The -n marks the direct object.
Here:
- Skanu = scan
- la strekkodon = the barcode
The barcode is the thing being scanned, so it takes the accusative ending -n.
Compare:
- La karto validas. = The card is valid.
- no -n, because la karto is the subject
- Skanu la strekkodon. = Scan the barcode.
- -n, because la strekkodon is the object
Why is the word strekkodon written like that? Is it a compound word?