The imperative or U mood has no tenses.
The following is its form and meaning in a chief proposition (see par. [199]).
| Singular. | Mi estu | = Let me be. |
| Estu | = Be, or, be you, or, be thou. | |
| Li, ŝi, ĝi, estu | = Let him, her, it be. | |
| Plural. | Ni estu | = Let us be. |
| Estu | = Be, or, be you, or, be ye. | |
| Ili estu | = Let them be. |
The following is its meaning in a dependent proposition, which is usually introduced by the conjunction ke = that (par. [200]).
| Sing. | (Ke) | Mi | estu | = (That) I | (may, might, should) be. |
| (Ke) | Vi | estu | = (That) you | ||
| (Ke) | Li, etc. | estu | = (That) he | ||
| Plural. | (Ke) | Ni | estu | = (That) we | |
| (Ke) | Vi | estu | = (That) you | ||
| (Ke) | Ili | estu | = (That) they |
168. CONJUGATION OF AN ACTIVE VERB.
The conjugation of the compound forms is given in par. [169]. When simple forms sufficiently convey the meaning, they are preferable to the compound forms.
INFINITIVE MOOD.
| Simple | Present, | Teni | = To hold. |
| Compound | Present, | Esti tenanta | = To be holding. |
| Compound | Past, | Esti teninta | = To have held. |
| Compound | Future, | Esti tenonta | = To be about (or, going) to hold. |
PARTICIPLES.