Adverbs with -sti and -lt

Level 2

To say how something is done, turn an adjective into an adverb. Add -lt or -sti to its genitive form: aeglane, aeglase → aeglaselt (slowly), kiire → kiiresti (quickly). Räägi aeglaselt, palun! (Speak slowly, please!)

How It Works

Adjective or adverb?
An adjective describes a thing: aeglane buss (a slow bus). An adverb describes an action: Buss sõidab aeglaselt. (The bus goes slowly.)

-lt: the everyday ending

aeglane, aeglase → aeglaselt (slowly)
vaba, vaba → vabalt (freely, fluently)
täpne, täpse → täpselt (exactly)
rahulik, rahuliku → rahulikult (calmly)
tavaline, tavalise → tavaliselt (usually)

Adjectives in -ne use their genitive stem in -se, as in words in -ne.

-sti: mostly short adjectives

kiire → kiiresti (quickly)
ilus → ilusti (nicely)
hea → hästi (well) and halb → halvasti (badly), see hästi and halvasti
loodetav → loodetavasti (hopefully), arvatav → arvatavasti (probably)

Both endings
Some adjectives take either ending with the same meaning: kiiresti = kiirelt, julgesti = julgelt (boldly). When you are not sure, -lt is the safer guess.

Comparing adverbs
For "more slowly" or "faster", adverbs have their own forms with -mini or -malt: kiiremini, aeglasemalt. See comparative adverbs.

Examples (6)

Räägi aeglaselt, palun!
Speak slowly, please!
Word by Word: speak slowly please
Ta jookseb väga kiiresti.
She runs very fast.
Word by Word: she runs very quickly
Laps magab rahulikult.
The child is sleeping peacefully.
Word by Word: child sleeps calmly
Sa räägid eesti keelt hästi.
You speak Estonian well.
Word by Word: you speak Estonian language(PART) well
hästi is the special adverb of hea (good).
Tavaliselt sõidan ma tööle bussiga.
I usually go to work by bus.
Word by Word: usually travel I to-work bus-with
Loodetavasti näeme homme.
Hopefully we'll see each other tomorrow.
Word by Word: hopefully see-we tomorrow

Common Mistakes

Using the adjective to describe an action.
Ta räägib aeglane.
Ta räägib aeglaselt.
aeglane describes a thing. To say how someone speaks, use the adverb aeglaselt.
Adding the ending to the basic form instead of the genitive.
Räägi aeglanelt!
Räägi aeglaselt!
The ending goes on the genitive stem. The genitive of aeglane is aeglase, so the adverb is aeglaselt.
Making a regular adverb from hea.
Sa räägid heasti.
Sa räägid hästi.
hea has the special adverb hästi (well).

How It Connects

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Adverbs with -sti and -ltLevel 2

Learn This First

Manner adverbs extend hästi and adjective stems.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-sti-lt

Practice Adverbs with -sti and -lt in Bubblegum

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