Module 6Grammar reviewPremium
Estonian in everyday situations
Reviews practise both sides: wherever Lukas and Lena would say something differently, you do it once as each.
Jaama, jaamas, jaamast
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I go to the station. | ||
| I go to the station. | ||
| I am at the station. | ||
| I am at the station. | ||
| I come from the station. | ||
| I come from the station. | ||
| I go home. | ||
| I go home. | ||
| I am at home. | ||
| I am at home. | ||
| I come from home. | ||
| I come from home. | ||
Estonian has three inside-location cases. Illative means into or to: , or the longer . Inessive means at/in: . Elative means from/out of: . Other useful sets: , , .
Direction words are . Names of places have their own usual cases: uses the outside set. Learning a place with to/at/from avoids a literal English preposition translation.
Kilo õunu, pudel piima
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A kilo of apples. | ||
| A kilo of apples. | ||
| Two kilos of potatoes. | ||
| Two kilos of potatoes. | ||
| Half a kilo of cheese. | ||
| Half a kilo of cheese. | ||
| A bottle of milk. | ||
| A bottle of milk. | ||
| A piece of cake. | ||
| A piece of cake. | ||
| I need help. | ||
| I need help. | ||
Use a partitive after a measure: . Separate countable items often use partitive plural; substances use partitive singular.
A noun’s partitive plural is not always nominative plural plus an ending: , , . A need is , with the needed noun in partitive: .
Rongiga, bussiga, jala
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I travel by train. | ||
| I travel by train. | ||
| I travel by bus. | ||
| I travel by bus. | ||
| I go on foot. | ||
| I go on foot. | ||
| I am on the train. | ||
| I am on the train. | ||
| Two return tickets. | ||
| Two return tickets. | ||
| The train is cancelled. | ||
| The train is cancelled. | ||
Transport normally uses comitative: . Walking is the fixed word . A location inside a train instead uses .
An exact digital time can name the hour then the minutes: , . A ticket is or . Learn as an announcement chunk; the participle is not a gender form.
Saan, võin, oskan
| Person | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| I — can | ||
| I — can | ||
| you, familiar singular — can | ||
| you, familiar singular — can | ||
| he/she — can | ||
| he/she — can | ||
| we — can | ||
| we — can | ||
| you, plural/polite — can | ||
| you, plural/polite — can | ||
| they — can | ||
| they — can | ||
means can or be able in context: . often gives permission or possibility: . Both take the infinitive: , .
A learned skill uses : . is facts, is people, and is know how. The same English can does not require one Estonian verb in every situation.
Lauale, laual, laualt
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I put the key on the table. | ||
| I put the key on the table. | ||
| The key is on the table. | ||
| The key is on the table. | ||
| I take the key from the table. | ||
| I take the key from the table. | ||
| Muri is sitting on the chair. | ||
| Muri is sitting on the chair. | ||
| Jaan has a key. | ||
| Jaan has a key. | ||
| The post office is between the bank and pharmacy. | ||
| The post office is between the bank and pharmacy. | ||
The outside-location set uses allative -le, adessive -l and ablative -lt on the genitive stem: , . The adessive also expresses a possessor: .
Postpositions can express motion or location too: to the top, on top, from the top. means between the bank and pharmacy; both preceding nouns are genitive. and are explained completed-past chunks in the map conversation.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Notice the useful pattern
Tap the form practised in this unit.
As Lukas
. .
I am Lukas. I am at home.
As Lena
. .
I am Lena. I am at home.
As Lukas
. .
I am Lukas. A piece of cake.
As Lena
. .
I am Lena. A piece of cake.
As Lukas
. .
I am Lukas. Two return tickets.
As Lena
. .
I am Lena. Two return tickets.
As Lukas
. .
I am Lukas. You can come, polite/plural.
As Lena
. .
I am Lena. You can come, polite/plural.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
Mixed person forms 1
Choose the right word for the gap.
Ma aidata.
I can help.
Sa aidata.
You (familiar singular) can help.
Ta aidata.
He/she can help.
Me aidata.
We can help.
Te aidata.
You (polite/plural) can help.
Nad aidata.
They can help.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
Recall the person forms 1
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Ma aidata.
I can help.
Ma aidata.
I can help.
Sa aidata.
You (familiar singular) can help.
Sa aidata.
You (familiar singular) can help.
Ta aidata.
He/she can help.
Ta aidata.
He/she can help.
Me aidata.
We can help.
Me aidata.
We can help.
Te aidata.
You (polite/plural) can help.
Te aidata.
You (polite/plural) can help.
Nad aidata.
They can help.
Nad aidata.
They can help.
Practice 4/6 · Building sentences
Build a sentence
Put the words in order.
Too hard? Listen to the sentence first.
As Lukas
I am Lukas. I am at home.
As Lena
I am Lena. I am at home.
As Lukas
I am Lukas. A piece of cake.
As Lena
I am Lena. A piece of cake.
As Lukas
I am Lukas. Two return tickets.
As Lena
I am Lena. Two return tickets.
As Lukas
I am Lukas. You can come, polite/plural.
As Lena
I am Lena. You can come, polite/plural.
As Lukas
I am Lukas. Jaan has a key.
As Lena
I am Lena. Jaan has a key.
I go to the station.
Practice 5/6 · In situations
What would you say?
Choose the right words for the situation.
As Lukas
I am Lukas/Lena. I am at home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I am Lukas/Lena. I am at home.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lukas
I am Lukas/Lena. A piece of cake.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I am Lukas/Lena. A piece of cake.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lukas
I am Lukas/Lena. Two return tickets.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I am Lukas/Lena. Two return tickets.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lukas
I am Lukas/Lena. You can come, polite/plural.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
As Lena
I am Lukas/Lena. You can come, polite/plural.
You say:
Use the meaning and Estonian pattern explained in this unit.
Practice 6/6 · Matching
Connect messages and meanings
Match the pairs.
Unit complete
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