Lesson 12: B1 Review and Path to B2
Consolidate all B1 grammar and vocabulary, review CEFR B1 can-do statements for Esperanto, and prepare for the B2 level.
Overview
You have reached the end of the B1 curriculum. This lesson brings together everything covered in Lessons 1–11 into a consolidated review. At B1 you have mastered the full accusative system, the six-participle system and compound tenses, Esperanto word-building including suffix stacking, the passive voice and oni constructions, the conditional mood, a full range of dependent clauses and discourse connectors, advanced numbers, formal register, and reading strategies for authentic texts. This is a significant achievement — you are now an independent Esperanto user.
This review lesson summarizes all key grammar points with concise tables, presents the 200 most important B1 vocabulary items organized thematically, lists the CEFR B1 can-do statements as they apply to Esperanto specifically, provides an annotated authentic-level practice text, and charts a clear path to B2 with specific, actionable goals. Use this lesson periodically as a reference and as a self-assessment tool.
Learning Objectives
- Self-assess mastery of all B1 grammar structures
- Recognize gaps in vocabulary and target them systematically
- Understand what distinguishes B1 from B2 in practical terms
- Create a concrete personal plan for reaching B2
B1 Grammar Summary
Core Grammar at a Glance
| Feature | Form | Key Example |
|---|---|---|
| Accusative — direct object | noun/adj + -n | Mi vidas grandan hundon. |
| Accusative — direction | destination + -n | Li kuris en la domon. |
| Accusative — time span | duration + -n | Ŝi laboris tutan tagon. |
| Active present participle | root + -ant- + ending | la kantanta birdo |
| Active past participle | root + -int- + ending | la kantinta birdo |
| Active future participle | root + -ont- + ending | la kantonta birdo |
| Passive present participle | root + -at- + ending | la legata libro |
| Passive past participle | root + -it- + ending | la skribita letero |
| Passive future participle | root + -ot- + ending | la konstruota domo |
| Compound tenses (active) | esti + -ant-/-int-/-ont- | Mi estas leganta. / Mi estis leginta. |
| Compound tenses (passive) | esti + -at-/-it-/-ot- | La letero estas skribata. |
| Passive agent | de + agent | skribita de Maria |
| Impersonal oni | oni + active verb | Oni diras ke... |
| Conditional mood | verb root + -us | Mi kantus. Se mi estus riĉa... |
| Real conditional | se + present → future | Se vi studas, vi lernos. |
| Unreal conditional | se + -us → -us | Se mi havus tempon, mi helpus. |
| Noun/verb/adj/adv derivation | change ending | bela / belo / bele / beli |
| -ad- (ongoing) | root + -ad- + ending | laboradi, skribado |
| -ebl- (-able) | root + -ebl- + ending | farebla, komprenebla |
| -ind- (worth) | root + -ind- + ending | vidinda, leginda |
| -em- (tendency) | root + -em- + ending | laborema, dormema |
| -iĝ- (become) | root + -iĝ- + ending | ruĝiĝi, sidiĝi |
| -ig- (make/cause) | root + -ig- + ending | ruĝigi, purigi |
| Compounding | modifier + head root | dormĉambro, fervojo |
| ke-clause | ke + clause | Mi scias ke li venos. |
| ĉar-clause | ĉar + clause | Mi restas ĉar mi estas malsana. |
| kvankam-clause | kvankam + clause | Kvankam pluvas, mi iros. |
| por ke-clause | por ke + -u | por ke vi povu studi |
| Indirect question | question word + clause | Mi ne scias, kiu venos. |
| Ordinals | number + -a (agreeing) | en la dua ĉambro |
| Fractions -on- | number + -on- | duono, triono |
| Multipliers -obl- | number + -obl- | duobla, triobla |
| Groups -op- | number + -op- | duope, triope |
| po (distributive) | po + number | po tri pomoj |
B1 Essential Vocabulary (200 Roots)
Verbs
| Esperanto | English | Esperanto | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| konsideri | consider | kompari | compare | |
| proponi | propose | analizi | analyze | |
| sugesti | suggest | klarigi | explain | |
| pruvi | prove | esperi | hope | |
| ricevi | receive | sendi | send | |
| interesiĝi | be interested | atingi | reach, achieve | |
| eviti | avoid | permesi | allow | |
| prezenti | present | reprezenti | represent | |
| plani | plan | klopodi | strive | |
| decidi | decide | rezolvi | resolve | |
| aprobi | approve | malakcepti | reject | |
| konstrui | build | detruи | destroy | |
| plibonigi | improve | malbonigi | worsen | |
| komenci | begin | fini | finish | |
| daŭri | continue | ĉesi | stop, cease |
Nouns
| Esperanto | English | Esperanto | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| problemo | problem | solvo | solution | |
| decido | decision | rezulto | result | |
| kialo | reason | celo | goal | |
| ebleco | possibility | neceso | necessity | |
| kondiĉo | condition | efiko | effect | |
| influo | influence | rilato | relation | |
| sento | feeling | penso | thought | |
| opinio | opinion | konvinko | conviction | |
| atento | attention | intencо | intention | |
| kunveno | meeting | raporto | report | |
| propono | proposal | decido | decision | |
| kotizo | fee, membership | membro | member | |
| kongreso | congress | organizo | organization | |
| registaro | government | leĝo | law | |
| politiko | politics | ekonomio | economy | |
| edukado | education | sano | health | |
| malsano | illness | mediko | doctor | |
| medio | environment | klimato | climate | |
| naturo | nature | arto | art | |
| scienco | science | teknologio | technology | |
| kulturo | culture | tradicio | tradition | |
| historio | history | epoko | era, epoch | |
| progreso | progress | malfacilo | difficulty | |
| sukceso | success | fiasko | failure | |
| estonteco | future | pasinteco | past | |
| nuntempo | present time | jarcento | century | |
| ŝanco | chance, luck | risko | risk |
Adjectives
| Esperanto | English | Esperanto | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| grava | important | negrava | unimportant | |
| utila | useful | senutila | useless | |
| ebla | possible | neebla | impossible | |
| necesa | necessary | nenecesa | unnecessary | |
| klara | clear | malklara | unclear | |
| simpla | simple | komplika | complicated | |
| preciza | precise | malpreciza | imprecise | |
| alloga | attractive | repuŝa | repulsive | |
| moderna | modern | malnova | old, ancient | |
| internacia | international | nacia | national | |
| loka | local | tutmonda | worldwide | |
| publika | public | privata | private | |
| formala | formal | neformala | informal | |
| ofika | official | neoficiala | unofficial |
Adverbs and Discourse Words
| Esperanto | English | Esperanto | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tamen | nevertheless | sekve | consequently | |
| cetere | moreover | do | therefore | |
| unue | firstly | fine | finally | |
| aliflanke | on the other hand | laŭ | according to | |
| ekzemple | for example | resume | in summary | |
| ĝenerale | in general | specife | specifically | |
| bedaŭrinde | unfortunately | feliĉe | fortunately | |
| verŝajne | probably, likely | eble | possibly | |
| nepre | definitely, certainly | preskaŭ | almost | |
| tute | completely | parte | partly |
CEFR B1 Can-Do Statements for Esperanto
At B1 you can:
Reading:
- Read articles on current events (Monato, La Ondo) with occasional dictionary use
- Understand the main points of authentic Esperanto texts on familiar topics
- Decode unfamiliar compounds using morphological analysis
- Read graded texts (Gerda Malaperis, Juna Amiko) with full comprehension
Listening:
- Follow Muzaiko radio broadcasts and understand the main content
- Understand Kern.punkto podcast episodes on familiar topics
- Follow an Esperanto speaker speaking at normal pace on known topics, with some repetition
Speaking:
- Communicate spontaneously on a wide range of personal and familiar topics
- Narrate events, experiences, hopes, and plans in detail across all tenses
- Express and defend opinions with simple justification
- Handle most practical situations at an Esperanto event or congress
Writing:
- Write clear personal emails and letters on topics of personal interest
- Write simple structured texts (summaries, reviews, opinion pieces) of 150-300 words
- Compose a formal letter using appropriate register and conventions
Annotated Practice Text
Read the following B1-level text. Notes in brackets identify grammar features.
"La Esperanta movado, kiu [relative clause] naskiĝis en 1887, havas hodiaŭ inter du kaj tri milionojn [large number] da parolantoj tutmonde. Kvankam [concessive] ĝi neniam iĝis la oficala lingvo de internaciaj organizoj, tamen [contrast marker] ĝi restas vigla, uzata [passive participle] en kongresoj, retejoj, kaj ĉiutaga komunikado.
La homoj kiuj parolas Esperanton [relative clause] venas el ĉiuj landoj kaj kulturoj. Ili eniris [accusative of direction implied] en la movadon [direction] pro [formal conjunction: because of] diversaj kialoj: kelkaj ĉar [causal clause] ili amas lingvojn, aliaj ĉar ili volas komuniki internacie sen [prep] deviga [adj] angla. Estas dirite [passive: oni diras] ke multaj trovas en Esperanto pli ol lingvon: komunumon kiu akceptas [relative] ĉiujn.
Se vi deziras [real conditional] progresi plu, vi devos [future] legi pli da aŭtentikaj tekstoj, partopreni kongresojn, kaj praktiiki skribe kaj parole. La estonteco [nominalization from estonta] de via Esperanto dependas de via propra engaĝiĝo [nominalization]."
Path to B2: What to Focus on Next
Reaching B2 requires approximately 100-200 additional hours of focused study and practice beyond B1. Your priorities:
Grammar:
- Nuanced compound tenses — understand estis kantinta vs. kantis with precision
- Transitivity and -ig-/-iĝ- at advanced level — causative constructions
- Advanced correlative combinations (tiun ajn, ĝis kiam, tiel ke)
- Reported speech — indirect discourse across different tenses
- Concession and contrast constructions at stylistic level
Vocabulary:
- Target 2,000+ roots in active use (currently ~1,000 at B1)
- Read Monato regularly: 1-2 articles per week, look up unfamiliar roots
- Build domain-specific vocabulary in your personal interest areas
Reading:
- Monato magazine (monthly, full authentic texts)
- La Ondo de Esperanto (cultural/literary)
- Esperanto Wikipedia on topics you care about
Listening:
- Muzaiko radio: 30 min daily
- Evildea YouTube: natural, informal, Australian Esperanto
- Kern.punkto podcast: intermediate/advanced topics
Speaking/Writing:
- Weekly italki session with an Esperanto tutor or language partner
- Keep a personal journal in Esperanto (even 3-4 sentences daily)
- Participate in text chats: Telegram Esperanto groups, Reddit r/Esperanto
Events:
- Attend at least one Esperanto event in person or online: local club, regional rencontre, or (ideally) a Universala Kongreso
- Immersive event attendance is the single fastest way to bridge B1 to B2
Cultural Note
The B1-to-B2 transition in Esperanto is often described by experienced speakers as the "fluency threshold" — the point at which you stop translating in your head and start thinking directly in Esperanto. Many speakers report that this shift happens suddenly, often during an immersive event like a national or world congress, when the necessity of communicating in real time forces the brain to bypass the native language. Zamenhof envisioned exactly this kind of lived communicative experience as central to the language: he organized the first Universala Kongreso in Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1905 precisely to create a space where Esperanto could be spoken as a living medium of connection, not merely studied as a code. If you reach B1 and want to accelerate to B2, the most valuable investment you can make is attending a major Esperanto event and committing to speak only Esperanto for its duration.