Esperanto? What's that?

A language

created to facilitate communication amongst people from different countries. In practical use for more than a hundred years, Esperanto has proved to be a genuinely living language, capable of expressing all facets of human thought.

International and neutral

Esperanto doesn't belong to any specific country or people. It belongs equally to everybody who speaks it, acting as a bridge between cultures.

It's easy!

Esperanto has a simple, regular and extremely flexible structure, and a vocabulary of international character. This makes it possible to reach fluency much more quickly than in any other language - it's up to ten times easier to learn, according to scientific studies.

Why could it be interesting to learn Esperanto?

Make friends

all over the world, for instance, by having penpals in distant countries and other cultures. If you like travelling, you can take along "Pasporta Servo", which lists speakers of Esperanto in more than 70 countries. They are interested in accomodating you, free of charge and might also show you a bit of their town or country.

Go to meetings

along with other Esperanto speakers: in your own town or country, or internationally. The meetings such as the World Congress of Esperanto, the International Youth Congress and other international youth meetings take place in different countries every year and offer a fantastic experience for the thousands of people who participate.

Learn about other cultures

through a truly international medium. Esperanto has a vast literature, both translated and original on countless subjects, and there are also many periodicals and regular radio broadcasts in Esperanto.

How can you learn Esperanto?

Courses and text books

exist in most countries and languages. Because Esperanto is so easy, you can also learn it on your own or through a free postal or e-mail course.

Contact

the group or association in your town or country, or write to the World Organization of Young Esperantists (TEJO), which has members in more than 100 countries throughout the world. We'll be pleased to give you any information or help we can.

Addresses

Great Britain:            North America:     TEJO
Young British             Esperanto-Center   Nieuwe Binnenweg 176
Esperantists              P.O.Box 1129       NL-3015 BJ Rotterdam
140 Holland Park Avenue   El Cerrito         Netherlands
London W11 4UF            CA 94530 - USA        
                                             Tel +31 10 4361044
                                             Fax +31 10 4361751