How to Learn Esperanto

Learning Esperanto is completely free because all Esperantists are excited to share the language and help others learn it! Below is a course syllabus that I have created to get you started and fully immersed in learning Esperanto and the resources necessary to aid you in your journey. It is set up based upon your learning style (visual, auditory, or self-study) with practice resources. I recommend you use a planner or some sort of tracking calendar and spend a set amount of time, 1-3 hours daily, studying with every 3-5 days practicing with a live language partner or paid tutor and following that schedule for at least one month. Start with the “Start” list and then go to your primary ‘learning style’ list and use the “Practice Resources” to… uh… practice! After you go through your main learning method I would look over the additional two learning styles to see if there’s anything that you would find interesting to go through. I would use the Duolingo Esperanto course as an additional resource for learning or maintaining the language. Also, the Esperanto Facebook Group is very active with about 12-16 posts daily. Updated: December 31, 2018

Start

  1. Read Benny Lewis’ blog post Why should I learn Esperanto? on Fluent in 3 Months website and watch Skype Me Maybe (Sung in 30+ Languages by 17 polyglots) for inspiration.
  2. Bookmark the FORVO Esperanto website; refer to it for pronunciation, and download the iPhone App or Android App. Use it while you study.
  3. Bookmark some Esperanto Dictionaries (Lernu, Glosbe, etc. ) and Translation (Traduku, Kafejo, etc.) websites to use while you study.
  4. Download Tajpi Esperanto Keyboard for your Windows Computer so that you may type in Esperanto. Alternate link: Komputeko.
  5. Turn on the Esperanto language on your Android phone’s keyboard or add an Esperanto keyboard to your Android phone from the Google Play Store.
  6. Go through Memrise’s Esperanto course, Esperanto Alphabet Like a Native!
  7. Complete the ‘I Kinda Like Languages’ Esperanto course.

Visual Learning Style

  1. Watch the 12 lessons, each under 10 minutes on American Esperantist’s YouTube with additional mini-lessons.
  2. Watch the 10 lessons, 30-40 minutes each, on ViaLingo’s YouTube.
  3. The One Show does Esperanto
  4. Watch Mazi en Gondolando and follow along with the transcripts. This is about 3 hours over 18 videos on YouTube. You can download the .avi files or lower quality .mp4 files from Esperanto Fremont.
  5. Watch Pasporto al la tuta mondo on YouTube as 15 video lessons that are 30-minute each. 7.5 hours total.
  6. Go through Lernu’s 26 lesson La teorio Nakamura course. La teorio Nakamura (The Nakamura Theory) is an eye-catching sci-fi story by Anna Lowenstein and is the basis of this Esperanto course. It is also available as a 96-page full-color storybook, here.
  7. Play BaBaDum Vocabulary Game in Esperanto (or other languages). There are five games to choose from at the top left corner of the screen. You can change the language at the bottom right corner of the screen.

Auditory Learning Style

  1. Download the free Kurso de Esperanto software and complete the 12 lessons. Read from the song lyrics, here.
  2. Go through Memrise’s Esperanto courses (the first of three steps to Actual Fluency‘s method for fluency in Esperanto): Speak Esperanto like a Native 1,  Ace correlatives like a native, Ace affixes like a native, Speak Esperanto like a Native 2, Speak Esperanto like a Native 3. 
  3. Listen to The Esperanto Teacher: A Simple Course for Non-Grammarians by Helen Fryer. You can download it for free or read it online, via Project Gutenberg, and listen to the audio version, here.

Self-Study Learning Style

This learning style is more self-directed and is good for those who like to create flashcards, notes, diagrams, research, etc. and spend more time reviewing and researching. It may not be a real “learning style” but I feel these courses aren’t as complete for a visual or auditory to follow without having to do extra work on their own to learn the information.

  1. Do a quick review of the 16 Rules of Esperanto.
  2. Read The Esperanto Teacher: A Simple Course for Non-Grammarians by Helen Fryer. You can download it for free or read it online, via Project Gutenberg
  3. Go through the Esperanto in 12 Days course. There’s also an Android App for it.
  4. Go through this The Easiest Language PDF for 60 lessons broken down to 3-6 minute long increments that span pages 8-33 of this PDF which includes some studies, science, and author’s personal opinion on the Esperanto language and reasons for learning/using it.
  5. Read Esperanto, A New Approach 137 page book/PDF.
  6. Download Anki for your laptop and/or smartphone and install the Esperanto vocabulary list.
  7. Go through Lernu’s Learning Grammar pages.
  8. Print and read the free 37-page (beginner) PDF e-book 13 Oktobro 1582 (direct link).
  9. Read Esperanto blogs, such as Benny Lewis and others.
  10. Get the ‘5 Language Visual Dictionary‘ and go through and write out the Esperanto words.

Kinesthetic Learning Style

If you’re kinesthetic, meaning you learn through doing, then I’d go with your second learning style. You can play with going for a walk while listening to audio or walking on a treadmill while watching visual. Learning is state-dependent, so make sure you find/create a positive environment to be in while you’re learning and you may find using a standing desk set-up or space to move around helpful. Using dry erase or chalkboards, having natural light and fresh air, and complete quiet may also be helpful. If you’re more visual use various colors for taking notes, post-its, etc.

Practice Resources

  1. Pay for a language tutor on italki.com.
  2. Use lernu.net to find friends and language partners.
  3. Search for people on LiveMocha who are also learning Esperanto. Send them a message, add them as a friend. You need a free account for this, by the way.
  4. Use italki.com to find friends and language partners.
  5. If you’re active on Instagram add #esperanto, #esperantisto, and #learnesperanto to your ‘follows’ and search for those keywords to find other Esperanto speakers. Add/follow them and post your progress in Esperanto with those three hashtags and you’ll begin to attract other Esperantists who will contact you to make friends! Also, follow @Learn_Esperanto on Instagram!