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Learn Hardcore Esperanto: Ni kritikas la filmon. - We criticize the film.

Hardcore Esperanto
/Choosing a film with friends
/Ni kritikas la filmon.

Ni kritikas la filmon.

Word

Ni kritikas la filmon.

Meaning

We criticize the film.

Part of speech

sentence

Pronunciation

Course

Hardcore Esperanto

Lesson

Choosing a film with friends

Breakdown of Ni kritikas la filmon.

to criticize; critique

Questions & Answers about Ni kritikas la filmon.

Why is kritikas ending in -as?

In Esperanto, -as marks the present tense for verbs.

So:

kritikas = criticize / are criticizing
kritikis = criticized
kritikos = will criticize

The verb form does not change for different subjects, so:

mi kritikas = I criticize
vi kritikas = you criticize
ni kritikas = we criticize

That regularity is one of the nice things about Esperanto.

What does ni mean, and is it always necessary?

Ni means we.

In Esperanto, the subject is usually stated clearly, so ni is normally included just like we is in English. Because the verb ending -as only tells you the tense, not the person, kritikas by itself does not mean specifically we criticize. You usually need ni to show who is doing the action.

Why does filmon have an -n at the end?

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The -n ending marks the direct object. That is called the accusative in Esperanto grammar.

In Ni kritikas la filmon:

Ni = the subject, the ones doing the action
kritikas = the action
la filmon = the thing being criticized

So filmo means film, but filmon means film as the direct object.

This -n is very important in Esperanto because it shows what receives the action.

Why is it la filmon and not just filmon?

La is the Esperanto word for the.

So:

filmon = a film / film, depending on context
la filmon = the film

Esperanto has only one definite article: la. It does not change for gender, number, or case. Even though filmon has -n, la stays la.

Does la ever change to match the noun?

No. La is always la.

It does not change for:

singular or plural
subject or object
masculine or feminine

So you get:

la filmo = the film
la filmon = the film
la filmoj = the films
la filmojn = the films

The noun changes when needed, but la stays the same.

Is the word order important here?

The normal word order is subject + verb + object, so Ni kritikas la filmon is the most straightforward way to say it.

Because Esperanto marks the direct object with -n, word order is more flexible than in English. For example, La filmon ni kritikas still means We criticize the film, not The film criticizes us, because filmon has the object marker.

Even so, learners should usually start with the normal order:

Ni kritikas la filmon

It sounds natural and is easiest to understand.

Why is the noun ending in -o before the -n?

In Esperanto, nouns normally end in -o.

So:

film- = the root
filmo = film
filmon = film as a direct object

You can think of the endings as stacking:

-o = noun
-n = direct object marker

So filmo + n = filmon.

What is the basic dictionary form of kritikas?

The dictionary form is kritiki, which is the infinitive form, meaning to criticize.

Esperanto verbs are built very regularly:

kritiki = to criticize
kritikas = criticize / is criticizing / are criticizing
kritikis = criticized
kritikos = will criticize
kritiku = criticize! / let ... criticize
kritikus = would criticize

So if you see kritikas, you can identify the root kritik- and know the dictionary form is kritiki.

How would this sentence change if it meant We are criticizing the films?

You would make film plural with -j, and because it is still the direct object, you also keep -n:

Ni kritikas la filmojn.

Breakdown:

film-o-j-n
noun + plural + object marker

So:

la filmon = the film
la filmojn = the films

How is kritikas pronounced?

Esperanto pronunciation is very regular. kritikas is pronounced roughly kree-TEE-kahs.

A rough breakdown:

kri = kree
ti = tee
kas = kahs

The stress in Esperanto usually falls on the second-to-last syllable, so here the stress is on ti:

kri-TI-kas

Could this sentence also mean We criticize films in a general sense?

Not usually in the most natural way. La filmon points to the film, a specific film.

If you wanted a more general sense, you would more likely say something like:

Ni kritikas filmojn. = We criticize films.

So the article la and the singular object filmon suggest a particular film, not films in general.

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