(b). The commencement of an action, or a sudden action, is shown by adding the prefix EK-.
Examples.—Ŝi ekkantis = She began to sing. La lumo brilis = The light shone. La lumo ekbrilis = The light flashed (see remarks on prefix EK-, par. [288]).
217. Emphatic form of verb.—In English this form consists of the verb, preceded by "do" or "did," and is confined to the present and past tenses of the indicative and subjunctive moods, and the imperative mood of the active voice, as:—"I do love," "He does love," "I did love," "Do love." This form in Esperanto can be represented by the adverb ja = indeed, or by suitable adverbs, such as tre, tre multe, vere, certe, efektive, etc.
Examples.—Mi ja lin amas = I do love him. Mi tiel multe amis ŝin = I did so love her.
The Present.
218. The Present tense (simple) ends in -AS. It is used to express not only what is happening at the moment, but also what happens in all time, or what is understood to be present.
Examples.—Mi kuras = I run, or am running. La vero ĉiam venkas = Truth always conquers. La aŭtoro diras en sia verko, ke .... = The author says in his book that.... Kiun vi vidas? = Whom do you see? Mi vidas neniun = I see nobody. Mi foriras, ĉar mia patro min atendas = I am going away, for my father awaits (or expects) me. Mi ĉiam leviĝas tre frue = I always get up (rise) very early. Nenion oni faras sen peno = One does nothing without effort.
219. The Present in place of the Past or Future.—In Esperanto, as in other languages, the Present is often used for the Past or Future, to give vividness to an expression.
Examples.—Mi haltas, perdante la spiron, kiam subite mi aŭdas post mi voĉon = I stop, losing breath, when suddenly I hear behind me a voice. Hodiaŭ plenaj de vivo, ni estas morgaŭ la akiro de la tombo = To-day full of life, to-morrow we shall be (are) the prey (acquirement) of the tomb.
220. Esperanto logically always employs the Present, even in a phrase relating to what has past, if the action is present relatively to the time in question.