Mi ricevas la karton kaj tiam subskribas la formularon.

The -n is the accusative ending, which marks the direct object of the verb.

• Mi ricevas la karton = I receive the card
• (Mi) subskribas la formularon = I sign the form

In Esperanto, nouns normally end in -o:

• karto = card
• formularo = form

When a noun is a direct object, you add -n:

• karto → karton
• formularo → formularon

This is one of the most important features of Esperanto grammar.

Because Esperanto often omits a repeated subject when it is still clearly the same.

So:

• Mi ricevas la karton kaj tiam subskribas la formularon.

means the same as:

• Mi ricevas la karton kaj tiam mi subskribas la formularon.

The second mi is understandable but usually unnecessary. English often repeats the subject; Esperanto often does not.

• kaj = and
• tiam = then

Together, kaj tiam means something like and then.

It links the two actions and shows their sequence:

1. receive the card
2. then sign the form

You could think of it as a very natural way to say that one action happens after the other.

Esperanto has a simple tense system, and -as marks the present tense.

• ricevas = receive / am receiving
• subskribas = sign / am signing

Esperanto present tense can cover both:

• a general action: I receive
• an action happening now: I am receiving

Context tells you which one is meant.

Because all Esperanto verbs in the present tense end in -as.

Here are the main endings:

• -as = present
• -is = past
• -os = future
• -us = conditional
• -u = command / wish

So:

• ricevas = receives / am receiving
• subskribas = signs / am signing

The subject does not change the verb form. Whether it is mi, vi, li, or ili, the present tense verb still ends in -as.

La is the Esperanto definite article, meaning the.

So:

• la karton = the card
• la formularon = the form

Esperanto has only one definite article: la. It does not change for gender, number, or case.

So even though the nouns take -n, the article stays the same:

• la karto
• la karton
• la formularo
• la formularon

Yes, to some extent. Because the direct objects are marked with -n, Esperanto word order is more flexible than English word order.

For example, these are still understandable:

• Mi ricevas la karton kaj tiam subskribas la formularon.
• La karton mi ricevas kaj tiam subskribas la formularon.

However, the original order is the most natural and straightforward for a learner:

• subject
• verb
• object
• connector
• second verb
• second object

So while Esperanto allows flexibility, the given sentence is a very standard way to say it.

The dictionary form is subskribi, which means to sign.

It can be broken down like this:

• sub- = under
• skribi = to write

So historically it is like underwrite, but in Esperanto it simply means sign.

Then:

• subskribi = to sign
• subskribas = signs / is signing

This kind of word-building is very common in Esperanto and is one of the language’s most useful features.

A rough guide:

• ricevas ≈ ree-TSEH-vas
• subskribas ≈ soob-SKREE-bas

A few helpful pronunciation points:

• c is always like ts
• e is like e in met
• i is like ee
• stress in Esperanto is always on the second-to-last syllable

So:

• ri-CE-vas
• sub-SKRI-bas
• kar-TON
• for-mu-LA-ron

No, they are different.

• ricevi = to receive, to get
• preni = to take

So in this sentence, ricevas la karton means that the card is being given to you or handed to you. If you used prenas, the meaning would shift toward taking the card yourself.

That distinction is similar to English receive versus take.

Yes, often you could.

• tiam = then
• poste = afterward / later / afterwards

In many contexts, both can work to show sequence. But there is a slight difference in feel:

• kaj tiam = and then
• kaj poste = and afterward / and later

In your sentence, kaj tiam sounds very natural for a simple sequence of actions. It suggests the next step happens right after the first one.

Because Esperanto verbs do not change according to the subject.

Compare English:

• I receive
• he receives

In Esperanto:

• mi ricevas
• li ricevas

The verb stays the same. This makes conjugation much easier. You only need to learn the tense ending, not a different form for each person.