Use the Force in Esperanto (devus, -u, por ke)

Alex Vaughn Miller describes various ways the -u ending can be used and how gentle suggestions, recommendations, and requests can be made in addition to direct commands through the use of “ke” subordinate clauses and the word "devus."

In this lesson, verbs that typically imply a will to change things are called Jedi Verbs. These include words like peti, preferi, sugesti, voli, ordoni, kuraĝigi, instigi, deziri, permesi, postuli, and devigi.

Verbs that don’t express a specific will and are merely commenting on things as they are instead of how they should be are labeled as Zombie Verbs. These include words like pensi, aserti, konfesi, opinii, scii, kredi, kompreni, dubi, miri, supozi, and raporti.

This lesson also mentions the idea that one should never talk like a “pig” in Esperanto by forgetting to add a verb with the -u ending after the words “por ke" appear in a sentence. In other words, “Ne parolu porke!"

If you enjoy Star Wars, horseshoe magnets, or The Walking Dead, this grammar lesson is for you. Where there's a will, there's a way to express it and this grammar lesson will show you how.

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