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Introduction to Estonian:
Lesson 5

By Linas

Finally, you use the partitive with greetings as well.

Estonian for health is tervis.

The word tervis follows the same pattern as keel does: it’s possessive form is tervise (keele) and its partitive is tervist (keelt).

Now, imagine that you are wishing somebody health. You imply I wish you health. The question is: do you wish him the whole thing or do you wish him to have some more health? It’s the second option: you only wish some (or so think Estonians anyway).

Estonian for to wish is soovima.

Here is a good side-exercise for you:

You form to/for someone (i.e. to me, for you, for him, etc.) by adding le to the possessive form of the word.

How would you say:

to you

Answer: sinule
Not correct. Please try again.

Could you work out:

I wish health to you.

Answer: Mina soovin tervist sinule.
Not correct. Please try again.

Nice. If you just leave all the other words out (they are implied), you could just say some health (use the word health in the partitive, that is) and that would mean: hi.

hi!

Answer: tervist!
Not correct. Please try again.

While we are on it, in fact, let’s take a small detour and raise it to the next level:

Estonian for a friend is sõber.

Your Estonian friend is always sober, isn’t he?

The possessive of this word is sõbra while the partitive is sõpra.

to a friend

Answer: sõbrale
Not correct. Please try again.

Her friend’s friend wishes health to your friend.

Answer: Tema sõbra sõber soovib tervist sinu sõbrale.
Not correct. Please try again.

Awesome, now you know how to talk about friends too.

Estonian for time is aeg.

The possessive of this word is aja and its partitive is aega.

How would you say:

He doesn’t have time.

Answer: Temal ei ole aega.
Not correct. Please try again.

Finally, let’s learn the partitive for hea.

The partitive form of the word hea is head (its possessive stays hea, though).

How would you say:

I wish a good time to you.

Answer: Mina soovin head aega sinule.
Not correct. Please try again.

If you skip all of that I wish and to you part you are left with (some of) good time! which is the Estonian phrase for goodbye.

goodbye!

Answer: head aega!
Not correct. Please try again.

Not a goodbye yet!

Let’s learn our last two word combinations which help us a lot.

Estonian for it is see.

The possessive form of the word see is selle and the partitive form is seda.

Another word just like that is:

Estonian for what is mis.

It’s forms are possessive being mille and the partitive being mida.

So, for both of these words, you just take the first two letters and add lle for the possessive and da for the partitive.

How would you say:

What is it?

Answer: Mis on see?
Not correct. Please try again.

It is good.

Answer: See on hea.
Not correct. Please try again.

Imagine you are referring to milk (so you mean: some of milk). Say:

I don’t have it.

Answer: Minul ei ole seda.
Not correct. Please try again.

Or imagine seeing a dude on the buss (a bus is buss in Estonian) and asking:

What is he reading?

Answer: Mida tema loeb?
Not correct. Please try again.

And answer that:

He is reading a book.

Answer: Tema loeb raamatut.
Not correct. Please try again.

Congratulations! The learning is done. We have learnt a great amount of Estonian. Let’s now just bring it home and test our skills by having a conversation in Estonian.

Imagine an introductory conversation:

Hello. What is your name?

Answer: Tervist. Mis sinu nimi on?
Not correct. Please try again.

Hi! My name is Mikhel. What are we studying?

Answer: Tervist! Minu nimi on Mikhel. Mida meie õpime?
Not correct. Please try again.

We are studying the Estonian language. Do you have the book?

Answer: Meie õpime eesti keelt. Sinul on raamat?
Not correct. Please try again.

I don’t have it. My mother has the book.

Answer: Minul ei ole seda. Minu emal on raamat.
Not correct. Please try again.

Where is she?

Answer: Kus tema on?
Not correct. Please try again.

She is not here. She is reading the book.

Answer: Tema ei ole siin. Tema loeb raamatut.
Not correct. Please try again.

Does your friend have the book?

Answer: Sinu sõbral on raamat?
Not correct. Please try again.

His father has his book...

Answer: Tema isal on tema raamat...
Not correct. Please try again.

Well done! We have learnt how to deal with Estonian verbs, the three most important forms of Estonian nouns, all the main person pronouns, their possessive forms, the greetings and quite some useful vocabulary! How’s that for a 5 lesson introduction to Estonian!