Language/Standard-estonian/Grammar/Future-Tense
Hi Standard Estonian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be discussing the future tense in Standard Estonian. We will look at how to form the future tense, as well as some examples of its use.
The future tense is used to talk about events that will happen in the future. In Standard Estonian, the future tense is formed by adding the suffix -ma to the verb stem. For example, the verb "to read" (loe) becomes "will read" (loema).
Examples
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ma loen | ma loen | I will read |
| sa loed | sa loed | You will read |
| ta loeb | ta loeb | He/She will read |
| me loeme | me loeme | We will read |
| te loete | te loete | You will read |
| nad loevad | nad loevad | They will read |
The future tense can also be used to express probability or likelihood. For example, if you are not sure if something will happen, you can use the future tense to express your uncertainty.
Examples
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ta võib tulla | ta voib tulla | He/She might come |
| ma võin minna | ma voin minna | I might go |
| me võime minna | me voime minna | We might go |
| sa võid minna | sa void minna | You might go |
| te võite minna | te voite minna | You might go |
| nad võivad minna | nad voivad minna | They might go |
The future tense can also be used to express intention. For example, if you plan to do something in the future, you can use the future tense to express your intention.
Examples
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ma lähen | ma lahen | I will go |
| sa lähed | sa lahed | You will go |
| ta läheb | ta laheb | He/She will go |
| me lähme | me lahme | We will go |
| te lähte | te lahte | You will go |
| nad lähevad | nad lahevad | They will go |
Now that you know how to form the future tense in Standard Estonian, it's time to practice! To improve your Standard Estonian Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎