Kilo Lingo
Esperanto grammar Part of Chapter 14

CEFR A2-B1

4 min read

Test yourself (17 questions)

Esperanto Connectors: tamen, kvankam, eĉ se, do and tial

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 12 October 2026

Esperanto's connectors never change form and never ask for a special mood. The verbs keep their ordinary tenses; the one rule to learn is -us for an imagined case after .

contrastcauseresultWhat do the colours mean?
EnglishEsperantoExample
but , .
however .
although , .
despite
even if , .
because
so , .
therefore .

Quick check

Now use it: three quick questions on the chart above. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Real possibility or imagined? Pick the verb form the English asks for.

  1. Eĉ se morgaŭ, ni iros. (it may well rain tomorrow)

  2. Eĉ se mi riĉa, mi laborus. (I am not rich)

  3. Eĉ se vi ne min, mi sukcesos. (you might help, you might not)

sed and tamen: but and however

contrastWhat do the colours mean?

is but, at the join between two clauses:

  • , . - I came, but he had already left.

is however, nevertheless. It can open its clause or sit inside it, and it can even follow :

  • ; . - I was tired; however, I carried on.
  • , . - I was tired, but I carried on anyway.
  • , . - She is young, but still very experienced.

kvankam: although

contrastWhat do the colours mean?

opens a clause about a fact, and the verb keeps whatever tense is true:

  • , . - Although he is rich, he is not happy.
  • , . - Although it rained, we went.

The other clause may echo it with , never with :

  • , . - Although it rained, we still went.

malgraŭ: despite

contrastWhat do the colours mean?

is a preposition, so a noun follows it:

  • , . - Despite the rain, we went.

Before a whole clause, the usual form puts in the noun's place, then :

  • , , . - Despite the fact that it rained, we went.

also occurs, and then it means much the same as . Prepositions has the , pattern for the others.

eĉ: even

stands directly before the word it points at. Move it, and you move the surprise:

Before
eĉ
The word it points at
After
empty
.
.
empty
.
  • . - Even the children understood.
  • . - He did not drink even water.
  • . - I even understood the film.

(also) and (only) work the same way: word order and style has all three.

eĉ se: real or imagined

the verb endingWhat do the colours mean?

is even if. The verb tells you whether it might really happen:

The caseEsperantoEnglish
it may happen , .Even if it rains tomorrow, we'll go.
it is imagined , .Even if I were rich, I would work.

For a fact you concede, even though, use : , . - Even though I am rich, I work.

ĉar, tial and do: because and so

causeresultWhat do the colours mean?

brings the cause; and bring the result:

  • , . - I stayed at home because it rained.
  • ; . - He was ill; that is why he did not come.
  • , . - I think, therefore I am.

asks why, and answers it, straight from the correlative table:

  • ? - Why did you stay at home?
  • ; . - It rained; that is why I stayed at home.

is lighter, and it also opens a remark, like English so: , ? - So, what shall we do?

Light, spokenFormal, written
  1. do
  2. tial
  3. sekve

(consequently) belongs to formal writing. For adding a point rather than a result, use (besides) or (moreover).

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
..., ... ..., () ...one contrast word per join
(imagined)imagined: -us in both halves
, is a preposition
(even) goes before its word

The comma habit from subordinate clauses applies here too: a comma before , and clauses.

What to do next

  1. Write three sentences about your week with and .
  2. Write one real and one imagined .
  3. Answer five questions with or .

See also

Practise: test yourself

Complete the story

0/5

Choose the connector, or the verb form, for each gap.

Ana's long day

Ana estis laca, ŝi laboris ĝis la oka. Ŝi volis iri hejmen, ŝia amiko vokis ŝin. Li estis malsana; li bezonis helpon. Ana iris al li la pluvo. Eĉ se ŝi riĉa, ŝi helpus lin mem.

Gap 1 of 5

Pick the right one

0/3

Real possibility or imagined? Pick the verb form the English asks for.

  1. Eĉ se morgaŭ, ni iros. (it may well rain tomorrow)

  2. Eĉ se mi riĉa, mi laborus. (I am not rich)

  3. Eĉ se vi ne min, mi sukcesos. (you might help, you might not)

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one wrong word. Tap it.

Matching

0/6

Match each connector to its English.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say however and although in Esperanto?
However is : ; (I was tired; however, I worked). Although is : , . They often team up, in one clause and in the other: , (although it rained, we still went). Neither changes the verb: the tense says what is true.
How do you say even if in Esperanto?
. If it really might happen, use the real tense: , (even if it rains tomorrow, we will go). If it is imagined, use -us in both halves, as in any conditional: , (even if I were rich, I would work).
What is the difference between do and in Esperanto?
Both introduce a result. Do is the light, everyday so: , do (I think, therefore I am), and do, ? (so, what shall we do?). means for that reason and points back at a cause: ; (he was ill; that is why he did not come). It is the answer word to , why.
How do you say despite in Esperanto?
, with a noun after it: , (despite the rain, we went). Before a whole clause, the usual form puts in between: , (despite the fact that it rained). also occurs, and then it means much the same as .
Can I say ... in Esperanto?
Avoid it, as English avoids although ... but. already marks the contrast, so the other clause needs no . If you want an echo there, use : , (although he is rich, he is still not happy).