Language/Standard-estonian/Grammar/Adjectives-and-comparison
As a Standard Estonian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to be teaching you about adjectives and comparison in Estonian. In this lesson, we will cover everything from the basics of adjectives to more complex comparisons in the language. Whether you are just starting out with Estonian, or looking to brush up on your knowledge, this lesson is perfect for you.
Adjectives in Estonian
Adjectives are an essential part of any language, and Estonian is no exception. Adjectives are used to describe a noun, and they usually come before the noun in the sentence. In Estonian, adjectives have different endings depending on whether the noun they describe is in the singular or plural form, and what case it is in.
Here is an example of how adjectives work in Estonian:
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sinine kass | si-ni-ne kass | Blue cat |
In this example, "sinine" is the adjective, describing the cat as blue. Notice how the word "sinine" changes depending on the gender of the noun. If this were a plural sentence, the adjective ending would change again.
In Estonian, adjectives also change depending on what case the noun is in. This can be a bit tricky to get used to, but with practice, it will become second nature.
Comparison in Estonian
Once you have mastered the basics of adjectives, it's time to move on to comparison. Comparisons are used to compare two or more things and can be done in a few different ways in Estonian.
One way to make comparisons in Estonian is by using the words "rohkem" (more) and "vähem" (less). Here's an example:
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ma jooksen rohkem kui sina | Ma jook-sen ro-khem kui si-na | I run more than you |
In this sentence, we are using the word "rohkem" to compare how much two people run. The word "kui" means "than" in English, so "rohkem kui" translates to "more than."
Another way to make comparisons is to use the words "nii...kui" (as...as). Here's an example:
| Standard Estonian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| See koer on nii kiire kui kass | See koer on nii ki-re kui kass | This dog is as fast as a cat |
In this sentence, we are using "nii...kui" to compare how fast a dog is to a cat. The word "nii" means "as" in English, so "kiire kui" translates to "fast as."
Summary
In this lesson, we covered the basics of adjectives in Estonian and how to use them to describe nouns. We also looked at how to compare two or more things in Estonian using different structures like "rohkem" and "vähem," as well as "nii...kui." Keep practicing your Estonian adjectives and comparison skills, and you'll be speaking like a native in no time!