Language/Standard-estonian/Grammar/Prepositions
| ◀️ Telling Time — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Past Tense ▶️ |
Welcome to our lesson on Prepositions in Standard Estonian! Prepositions are essential building blocks in any language, and they help us express relationships between different elements in a sentence. Whether you are describing a location, a time, or a manner of doing something, prepositions are key to providing clarity and depth to your communication.
In this lesson, we will cover:
- What are prepositions?
- How do they work with different cases?
- Common Estonian prepositions and their meanings
- Examples to illustrate their usage
- Practice exercises to reinforce your learning
By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to use prepositions in Estonian sentences, setting a strong foundation for your language skills.
What are Prepositions?
Prepositions are words that link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words in a sentence. They often indicate relationships in terms of location, time, direction, and purpose. Understanding prepositions is crucial because they can change the meaning of a sentence significantly.
For instance, in English, the difference between "on the table" and "under the table" illustrates how prepositions can convey distinct spatial relationships. In Estonian, the same principle applies, and mastering these small words will greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively.
Prepositions and Cases
In Estonian, prepositions are typically used with specific grammatical cases. The most commonly used cases with prepositions are the genitive, partitive, and inessive.
- Genitive Case: Often used to indicate possession or origin.
- Partitive Case: Used when referring to a part of something or an indefinite quantity.
- Inessive Case: Indicates the location "in" or "inside."
Let’s explore how prepositions interact with these cases using examples.
Common Estonian Prepositions
Here’s a table of some common Estonian prepositions along with their meanings:
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ka | [kɑ] | also |
| ilma | [il.mɑ] | without |
| enne | [ˈɛnːe] | before |
| pärast | [ˈpɑ.rɑst] | after |
| peal | [peːl] | on |
| alla | [ˈɑl.lɑ] | under |
| üle | [ˈy.le] | over |
| sees | [seːs] | inside |
| kõrval | [ˈkœr.vɑl] | next to |
| taga | [ˈtɑ.gɑ] | behind |
Usage of Prepositions in Sentences
Let’s look at how these prepositions function in sentences. Below are some examples showcasing how prepositions work with different cases:
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Raamat on laua peal. | ['rɑː.mɑt ɔn 'lɑʊ.a 'peːl] | The book is on the table. |
| Ma lähen koju ilma rahata. | [mɑ 'lɛhɛn 'koju 'il.mɑ 'rɑhɑ.tɑ] | I am going home without money. |
| Kohtume enne lõunat. | ['kɔh.tu.me 'ɛn.nɛ 'lœ.u.nɑt] | We will meet before lunch. |
| Pärast tööd, ma lähen koju. | ['pɑ.rɑst 'tøːd, mɑ 'lɛhɛn 'koju] | After work, I will go home. |
| Kass on tooli taga. | [kɑs ɔn 'toː.li 'tɑ.gɑ] | The cat is behind the chair. |
| Üks joon on seina sees. | [ʊks 'joːn ɔn 'seɪ.nɑ 'seːs] | One line is inside the wall. |
| Meie maja on kõrvalhoovis. | [ˈmei.jə 'mɑ.jɑ ɔn 'kœr.vɑl'hɔ.vɪs] | Our house is next to the garden. |
| Käime jõe ääres. | [ˈkæi.me 'jœ.ɛː.rɛs] | We walk by the river. |
| Pall on õhus. | [pɑl.l ɔn 'ɤ.hus] | The ball is in the air. |
| Raamat on laua all. | ['rɑː.mɑt ɔn 'lɑʊ.a 'ɑl] | The book is under the table. |
Examples of Prepositions with Different Cases
Let’s dive deeper into how different cases interact with prepositions.
1. Genitive Case
- Kohvi ilma suhkruta. (Coffee without sugar.)
- Tüdruku kott. (The girl's bag.)
2. Partitive Case
- Ma tahan puuvilju. (I want fruits.)
- Vaatame filmi. (Let’s watch a movie.)
3. Inessive Case
- Ma olen toas. (I am in the room.)
- Raamat on laua peal. (The book is on the table.)
| Preposition | Case | Example in Estonian | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ilma | Genitive | Ma tulen ilma raha. | I come without money. |
| ka | Partitive | Ma tahan ka kooki. | I want cake too. |
| peal | Inessive | Kass on laua peal. | The cat is on the table. |
Practice Exercises
Now it's time to put what you've learned into practice! Below are some exercises to help reinforce your understanding of prepositions.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences by using the correct prepositions from the box below: (ka, ilma, peale, enne, pärast)
1. Ma lähen ______ tööle.
2. ______ seal on palju inimesi.
3. Me sööme ______ lõunat.
4. Ta tuli ______ raha.
5. Koer on ______ muru.
Solutions:
1. Ma lähen enne tööle.
2. Seal on palju inimesi.
3. Me sööme pärast lõunat.
4. Ta tuli ilma raha.
5. Koer on peal muru.
Exercise 2: Translation
Translate the following sentences into Estonian.
1. The book is under the table.
2. I am going home without my bag.
3. We will meet before dinner.
Solutions:
1. Raamat on laua all.
2. Ma lähen koju ilma kotita.
3. Me kohtume enne õhtusööki.
Exercise 3: Matching
Match the prepositions with their meanings.
| Estonian Preposition | Meaning |
|----------------------|---------|
| 1. ilma | A. before |
| 2. pärast | B. without |
| 3. peal | C. on |
Solutions:
1 - B (ilma - without)
2 - A (pärast - after)
3 - C (peal - on)
Exercise 4: Sentence Creation
Create sentences using the following prepositions: (ka, kõrval, sees)
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______
Solutions:
1. Ma tahan ka õuna. (I want an apple too.)
2. Raamat on laua kõrval. (The book is next to the table.)
3. Lapsed on toas sees. (The kids are inside the room.)
Exercise 5: Error Correction
Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.
1. Ma olen laua peal.
2. Kass on tooli kõrval.
3. Ta tuli ilma rahad.
Solutions:
1. Ma olen laud peal. (I am on the table.)
2. Kass on tool kõrval. (The cat is next to the chair.)
3. Ta tuli ilma rahata. (He came without money.)
Exercise 6: Choose the Correct Preposition
Select the correct preposition for each sentence.
1. Ma panin raamatu ______ lauale. (ka / peale)
2. Me joome teed ______ suhkruga. (ilma / ka)
3. Koer on ______ aia taga. (kõrval / taga)
Solutions:
1. Ma panin raamatu peale lauale. (I put the book on the table.)
2. Me joome teed ka suhkruga. (We drink tea with sugar.)
3. Koer on aia taga. (The dog is behind the fence.)
Exercise 7: Preposition Practice
Write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) about your day using at least three different prepositions.
Solutions:
Example:
Today, I went to the market. I bought fruits without sugar. The apples are on the table.
Exercise 8: Dialogues
Create a short dialogue using prepositions.
Solutions:
Example:
A: Kus on su raamat? (Where is your book?)
B: Raamat on laua peal. (The book is on the table.)
Exercise 9: Preposition Quiz
Answer the following questions about prepositions:
1. What preposition do you use to express "without" in Estonian?
2. Which case is used with the preposition "peal"?
Solutions:
1. ilma (without)
2. Inessive case (used with "peal")
Exercise 10: Creative Writing
Write a short story (5-7 sentences) using at least five different prepositions.
Solutions:
Example:
Yesterday, I walked by the river. I saw a beautiful bird flying over the trees. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. My friend was sitting on the bench beside me. We talked about our plans for the weekend.
As you complete these exercises, remember that practice is key to mastering prepositions. The more you engage with the language, the more fluent you will become!
In this lesson, we’ve covered a significant aspect of Standard Estonian grammar: prepositions. You now have the tools to express relationships in various contexts, which is essential for effective communication. Keep practicing, and soon, using prepositions will become second nature to you.
Other Lessons
- Articles
- Questions
- Conditional Mood
- Past Tense
- Basic Sentence Structure
- Adverbs
- Conjunctions
- How to Use Be
- Nouns
- Negation and word order
| ◀️ Telling Time — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Past Tense ▶️ |