Chapter 6 of 16 · Explore the Estonian path
How sentences work · Chapter 6 of 16
Your first sentences: there is no a and no the
Estonian has no word for a and no word for the, and nothing carries a gender. Learn the six forms of the is-word, then say what something is.
≈ 3 min of reading · Practise at your own pace
What’s in this chapter
- There is no word for a and no word for the. hiir
heer is a mouse and the mouse alike. - There are no genders: ta is he and she, and nothing has to agree with either.
- The is-word: olen I am, oled you are, on is — and also are.
- Neutral order is the English order, and the doing word likes second place.
The is-word, all six ways
Estonian changes the word for am, are and is to match who you are talking about. These six forms cover everybody you will meet in a story.
| Who | Estonian | Who | Estonian |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | ma olen | we | me oleme |
| you | sa oled | you, more than one | te olete |
| he, she | ta on | they | nad on |
on
Dara is a fox. He is in the forest.
Dara on rebane. Ta on metsas.
DAH-rah ohn REH-bah-neh. tah ohn MET-sahs
Nothing stands in for a, and ta would be the same word if Dara were she. The ending on metsas is what says in.
Where the doing word sits
The doing word likes second place in a sentence. When something else takes the front, the doer moves in behind the doing word.
| Estonian | What moved |
|---|---|
| Täna tuleb rebane. | a time word took the front, so the doing word keeps second place and the doer moves in behind it |
Beyond that habit, Estonian moves words around freely for emphasis, and you can read them in whatever order they come.
Say what something is
- Tika on lind.
One word is missing compared with English.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Tika on lind.TI-kah ohn lind “Tika is a bird” — or “the bird”. Estonian does not choose. - Ma olen Tobi.
Show answer +Hide answer −
Ma olen Tobi.mah OH-len TOH-bi “I am Tobi” - Which word says “she” in “She is a fox”?
Show answer +Hide answer −
tatah — the same word as for he: Ta on rebane. tah ohn REH-bah-neh “She is a fox”