Lesson 15: A2 Review and Path to B1
Consolidate all A2 grammar, review 150 essential vocabulary words, assess your CEFR A2 competencies, and preview what B1 brings.
Overview
You have reached the end of the A2 course. In 14 lessons you have covered the three tenses, the complete correlative table, ten productive affixes, prepositions with the directional accusative, and a rich set of communicative topics from travel to emotions to restaurant ordering. This final lesson consolidates everything: a full grammar summary, a 150-word core vocabulary list, a self-assessment of CEFR A2 competencies, and a preview of what awaits you at B1.
Take time with this review lesson. The ability to retrieve and apply what you have learned — not just recognize it passively — is what marks real language competence. The exercises here are deliberately more integrative than those in earlier lessons: they require you to combine grammar knowledge, vocabulary, and communicative strategies together.
Learning Objectives
- Review and self-test all A2 grammar structures
- Recognize and use the 150 most essential A2 vocabulary items
- Self-assess against CEFR A2 can-do statements
- Understand what B1 competencies look like and how to progress
Vocabulary
150 Essential A2 Esperanto Words
People and Relationships
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| amiko / amikino | friend (m/f) |
| familio | family |
| patro / patrino | father / mother |
| frato / fratino | brother / sister |
| filo / filino | son / daughter |
| edzo / edzino | husband / wife |
| kolego | colleague |
| najbaro | neighbor |
| instruisto | teacher |
| studento | student |
Professions
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| kuracisto | doctor |
| dentisto | dentist |
| inĝeniero | engineer |
| advokato | lawyer |
| artisto | artist |
| jurnalisto | journalist |
| programisto | programmer |
| komercisto | merchant |
| sciencisto | scientist |
| pensiulo | pensioner |
Places
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| lernejo | school |
| oficejo | office |
| kuirejo | kitchen |
| banejo | bathroom |
| hotelo | hotel |
| restoracio | restaurant |
| stacidomo | train station |
| flughaveno | airport |
| muzeo | museum |
| parko | park |
Transport
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| aŭto | car |
| buso | bus |
| trajno | train |
| aviadilo | airplane |
| biciklo | bicycle |
| ŝipo | ship |
| bileto | ticket |
| valizo | suitcase |
| pasporto | passport |
| vojaĝo | trip / journey |
Food and Drink
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| manĝaĵo | food |
| trinkaĵo | drink |
| supo | soup |
| karno | meat |
| fiŝo | fish |
| legomoj | vegetables |
| frukto | fruit |
| pano | bread |
| kafo | coffee |
| akvo | water |
Emotions
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| ĝojo | joy |
| tristeco | sadness |
| kolero | anger |
| timo | fear |
| amo | love |
| fiereco | pride |
| surprizo | surprise |
| honto | shame |
| sopiro | longing |
| trankvilo | calm |
Time and Sequence
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| hieraŭ | yesterday |
| morgaŭ | tomorrow |
| baldaŭ | soon |
| ĵus | just now |
| jam | already |
| ankoraŭ | still / yet |
| unue | firstly |
| poste | afterwards |
| fine | finally |
| dum | during / for |
Comparison and Degree
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| pli | more |
| malpli | less |
| plej | most |
| ol | than |
| same kiel | as ... as |
| iom | a bit / some |
| tre | very |
| tute | completely |
| preskaŭ | almost |
| sufiĉe | enough |
Key Verbs
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| iri | to go |
| veni | to come |
| fari | to do/make |
| havi | to have |
| esti | to be |
| diri | to say |
| vidi | to see |
| lerni | to learn |
| labori | to work |
| senti | to feel |
Key Correlatives (selection)
| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| kio / tio / io | what / that / something |
| kiu / tiu / iu | who-which / that-one / someone |
| kie / tie / ie | where / there / somewhere |
| kiam / tiam / iam | when / then / sometime |
| ĉiu / neniu | everyone / no one |
| ĉiam / neniam | always / never |
| kio ajn | whatever |
| kie ajn | wherever |
| kiam ajn | whenever |
| ĉiuj | all (plural) |
Key Affixes (as vocabulary)
| Affix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| mal- | opposite | malbona (bad) |
| ek- | sudden start | ekridi (burst out laughing) |
| re- | again / back | reveni (return) |
| dis- | apart | dissendi (broadcast) |
| mis- | wrongly | miskompreni (misunderstand) |
| -ej- | place | lernejo (school) |
| -ist- | practitioner | muzikisto (musician) |
| -in- | feminine | fratino (sister) |
| -ul- | characterized by | junulo (young person) |
| -aĵ- | concrete thing | manĝaĵo (food) |
| -ar- | collective | arbaro (forest) |
| -an- | member | klubano (club member) |
| -eg- | augmentative | domego (mansion) |
| -et- | diminutive | dometo (cottage) |
| -iĝ- | become (intransitive) | ĝojiĝi (become happy) |
Grammar Focus
Summary Table 1: The Three Tenses
| Tense | Ending | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present | -as | Mi manĝas | I eat / I am eating |
| Past | -is | Mi manĝis | I ate / I was eating / I have eaten |
| Future | -os | Mi manĝos | I will eat |
Key rule: All verbs follow this pattern. No irregular verbs. No person/number agreement.
Negation: Add ne before the conjugated verb in any tense.
- Mi ne manĝas. / Mi ne manĝis. / Mi ne manĝos.
Summary Table 2: The Full Correlative Table
| ki- (?) | ti- (that) | i- (some) | ĉi- (every) | neni- (no) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -o (thing) | kio | tio | io | ĉio | nenio |
| -u (person) | kiu | tiu | iu | ĉiu | neniu |
| -a (kind) | kia | tia | ia | ĉia | nenia |
| -e (place) | kie | tie | ie | ĉie | nenie |
| -el (manner) | kiel | tiel | iel | ĉiel | neniel |
| -am (time) | kiam | tiam | iam | ĉiam | neniam |
| -al (reason) | kial | tial | ial | ĉial | nenial |
| -om (amount) | kiom | tiom | iom | ĉiom | neniom |
| -es (poss.) | kies | ties | ies | ĉies | nenies |
Key rules:
- No double negation: use neni- OR ne + positive word, never both.
- Add -n for accusative: tiun, tiujn, neniun.
- Add -j for plural: tiuj, ĉiuj, kiujn.
- Add ajn for free-choice: kio ajn, kie ajn, kiam ajn.
Summary Table 3: Comparison Structures
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| More than | pli + adj + ol | pli alta ol vi |
| Less than | malpli + adj + ol | malpli interesa ol tiu |
| As...as | same kiel / tiel kiel | same alta kiel mi |
| The most | la plej + adj | la plej bela urbo |
| The least | la malplej + adj | la malplej interesa |
| More and more | pli kaj pli + adj | pli kaj pli bona |
Summary Table 4: Key Prepositions
| Preposition | Core meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| en | in (location) | en + -n = into (direction) |
| sur | on (location) | sur + -n = onto (direction) |
| sub | under | sub + -n = under (direction) |
| al | to (direction) | never needs -n |
| el | out of | never needs -n |
| de | from, of, by | never needs -n |
| tra | through | never needs -n |
| ĝis | until, as far as | never needs -n |
| dum | during, for | time use |
| je | at (catch-all) | time of day, measurement |
| apud | next to | |
| inter | between, among | |
| ĉe | at, by |
CEFR A2 Can-Do Statements for Esperanto
By the end of this A2 course, you should be able to do the following. Use this as a self-assessment checklist.
Understanding:
- I can understand sentences and frequently-used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (basic personal information, shopping, local geography, employment).
- I can read short, simple texts about familiar topics.
- I can catch the main point in short, clear messages.
Speaking:
- I can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information.
- I can describe in simple terms aspects of my background, immediate environment, and matters of immediate need.
- I can ask and answer questions about my job, family, travel plans, and daily routine.
- I can order food and drink in a restaurant.
- I can buy a transport ticket and ask for directions.
- I can express opinions and agree or disagree politely.
- I can describe my emotions and respond empathetically to others.
Writing:
- I can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters of immediate need.
- I can write a simple personal letter or message describing my experiences, plans, or feelings.
- I can fill in forms with personal details.
Grammar (Esperanto-specific):
- I use -as, -is, -os tenses correctly.
- I know all 45 correlatives and use ki-, ti-, i-, ĉi-, neni- forms correctly.
- I use mal-, ek-, re-, dis-, mis- prefixes productively.
- I use -ej-, -ist-, -in-, -ul-, -aĵ-, -ar-, -an-, -eg-, -et- suffixes productively.
- I use the accusative -n for direct objects and directional expressions.
- I form correct comparisons with pli...ol, la plej, same kiel.
- I use key prepositions (en, sur, sub, al, de, el, tra, dum, ĝis, je) correctly.
Path to B1: What Comes Next
Reaching A2 in Esperanto means you can have real, meaningful conversations on familiar topics. B1 takes you to genuine communicative independence — the ability to handle most everyday situations and discuss a wider range of topics. Here is what B1 adds:
Grammar to master at B1:
- Participial adjectives and nouns: manĝanta (eating), manĝinta (having eaten), manĝota (about to eat), manĝata (being eaten), manĝita (having been eaten), manĝota (about to be eaten)
- Conditional mood: -us (Mi manĝus — I would eat)
- Imperative mood: -u (Manĝu! — Eat!)
- Volitional constructions: Mi volas ke vi manĝu. (I want you to eat.)
- Full use of -ig- causative: ĝojigi (to make happy), dormiги (to put to sleep)
- Accusative of time and direction extended uses
Vocabulary to acquire at B1:
- Abstract nouns for discussion (ekonomio, politiko, kulturo, scienco, medio)
- Nuanced emotion vocabulary (indignо, nostalgіо, kompato)
- Complex connectives (kvankam — although, tamen — nevertheless, sekve — consequently)
- Passive constructions: La letero estas skribata / estis skribita.
Resources for continuing:
- Lernu.net — free comprehensive Esperanto learning platform
- Duolingo Esperanto — gamified vocabulary and grammar
- Ekparolu — structured conversation practice
- Pasporta Servo — travel and meet native-level speakers worldwide
- Universala Kongreso — attend the annual world congress
- Esperanto-USA, UEA, TEJO — national and international organizations
Practice
Final Exercise 1: Grammar Diagnostic
Complete each sentence, choosing the correct form. These cover all major A2 grammar points.
- Hieraŭ mi ___ (iri) al la muzeo per biciklo.
- La muzeo estas ___ (pli/plej) interesa ol la parko.
- Mi ne scias ___ (kiam/tiam) ŝi revenos.
- ___ (Ĉio/Ĉiuj) studentoj ricevis sian gradon.
- Ni iris en la ___ (domo/domon) kiam ekpluvis.
- Li ___ (koleriĝis/kolerigas) kiam li aŭdis la novaĵon.
- Iru rekte, poste ___ (turnu/turnos) maldekstren.
- La libro estas ___ (sur/en) la tablo.
- ___ (Kial/Tial) ŝi ne venis? Mi ne scias.
- Ni vojaĝos ___ (per/al) aviadilo al Berlino.
Answers: 1.iris 2.pli 3.kiam 4.Ĉiuj 5.domon 6.koleriĝis 7.turnu 8.sur 9.Kial 10.per
Final Exercise 2: Translation Synthesis
Translate this paragraph into Esperanto. It exercises tenses, correlatives, affixes, and prepositions together.
"Yesterday I travelled to the city by train. First I visited the museum, which was the most interesting place I have ever seen. Then I went to a restaurant where I ate something delicious. For some reason the waiter misunderstood my order, but he was very kind and immediately brought the right dish. I will definitely go back there someday."
Sample answer: Hieraŭ mi vojaĝis al la urbo per trajno. Unue mi vizitis la muzeon, kiu estis la plej interesa loko, kiun mi iam vidis. Poste mi iris al restoracio, kie mi manĝis ion bongustegan. Ial la kelnero miskomprenis mian mendaĵon, sed li estis tre afabla kaj tuj alportis la ĝustan pladon. Mi sendube revenos tien iam.
Final Exercise 3: Free Writing
Write a 15–20 sentence text about yourself, covering:
- Who you are and where you are from
- What you do for work/study
- A past experience that was meaningful to you
- Your current daily life
- Your plans and hopes for the future
Use at least: 3 tenses, 5 correlatives, 3 affixes (prefix or suffix), 3 comparison structures, 4 prepositions.
Cultural Note
Completing A2 in Esperanto is a genuine achievement — and a more functional one than A2 in most national languages. Because Esperanto's grammar is fully transparent and its vocabulary derives predictably from a core of roots and affixes, A2 Esperanto speakers can already participate meaningfully in real international conversations, understand Esperanto media and literature at a basic level, and navigate a wide range of social situations at congresses and meetings. Zamenhof estimated that a motivated learner could reach communicative fluency in Esperanto in a fraction of the time required for any national language. Modern research tends to support this: studies (including the Springboard to Languages project in the UK) show that a few months of Esperanto study can accelerate subsequent language learning significantly. Whatever your reasons for learning Esperanto — idealism, curiosity, linguistic interest, or the simple desire to connect with people worldwide — reaching A2 means you have already begun that journey in earnest. Gratulon, kaj bonvenon al la komunumo! (Congratulations, and welcome to the community!)