Adjectives That Never Change

Level 5

Kogu linnas means in the whole town. Kogu stays the same, and only linn takes the ending.

How It Works

Normally an Estonian adjective copies the case and number of its noun: suures linnas. A few words never change. The ending goes only on the noun.

  • kogu (whole, all): kogu linn, kogu linnas, kogu perega
  • eri (separate, different): eri riigid, eri riikides, eri tubades
  • valmis (ready, finished): valmis kiri, valmis kirja, valmis kirjadega
  • language words: inglise keel, inglise keelt, inglise keeles

Eri or erinev? Erinev (different) does change: erinevates riikides. Use eri when you mean separate, one here and one there. Use erinev when you want to stress that things are not alike. Nad magavad eri tubades. (They sleep in separate rooms.)

Kogu or terve? Both mean whole. Terve changes (terves linnas), but kogu does not (kogu linnas).

Valmis also stands after olema: Toit on valmis. (The food is ready.) Kas sa oled valmis? (Are you ready?) For ready-made goods, valmis joins the noun as one word: valmistoit (ready meal), valmistoode (finished product).

Do not add other words to this list. Vale (wrong), vaba (free) and püha (holy) change normally: valelt inimeselt, roostevabast terasest.

Examples (6)

  1. Kogu linnas polnud elektrit.

    There was no electricity in the whole town.

    Only linn takes the inessive; kogu stays the same.

  2. Me tulime kogu perega.

    We came with the whole family.

    Kogu + perega.

  3. Meie lapsed käivad eri koolides.

    Our children go to different schools.

    Eri stays the same while koolides is inessive plural.

  4. Need on kaks eri asja.

    These are two separate things.

    Eri + partitive asja after a number.

  5. Ta pani valmis kirja ümbrikusse.

    She put the finished letter into the envelope.

    Valmis stays the same; kiri → genitive kirja.

  6. Ta räägib väga hästi inglise keelt.

    She speaks English very well.

    Inglise does not change; keel → keelt.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a case ending to kogu.

    Kogus linnas polnud elektrit.
    Kogu linnas polnud elektrit.

    Kogu never changes. Kogus is a different word that means amount.

  • Adding endings to eri.

    Meie lapsed käivad erides koolides.
    Meie lapsed käivad eri koolides.

    Eri keeps one form: eri koolides, eri tubades. Erinev does change, but it stresses that things are not alike, so it is not a simple swap for eri.

  • Treating vale (wrong) as a word that never changes.

    Ma küsisin vale inimeselt.
    Ma küsisin valelt inimeselt.

    Vale is a normal adjective and agrees with its noun: valelt inimeselt, vales kohas.

How It Connects

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Adjectives That Never ChangeLevel 5

Learn This First

These adjectives are exceptions to agreement.

Words in This Pattern

kogueriinglise