palju / vähe / natuke + Partitive

Amount Words Take the Partitive

Level 2

Palju raha means a lot of money and palju inimesi means a lot of people. The noun after an amount word is always in the partitive.

How It Works

Amount words are followed by the partitive:

  • palju – a lot of, much, many
  • vähe – little, few
  • natuke, veidi, pisut – a little, a bit of
  • rohkem – more; vähem – less, fewer
  • liiga palju – too much; küllalt – enough

Singular or plural partitive?

  • Things you cannot count take the partitive singular: palju raha, vähe aega, natuke vett, küllalt ruumi.
  • Things you can count take the partitive plural: palju inimesi, vähe sõpru, rohkem raamatuid.

Compare numbers and the words mitu (several) and paar (a couple), which take the partitive singular even for countable things: kolm raamatut, mitu raamatut, but palju raamatuid.

As the subject. When an amount phrase is the subject, the verb is normally singular: Peol oli palju inimesi. (There were a lot of people at the party.)

Without a noun, these words are adverbs: Ta räägib palju. (She talks a lot.) Ma magasin vähe. (I slept little.) Before a comparative, palju means "much": palju parem (much better).

Measure words work the same way: klaas vett (a glass of water), tass kohvi (a cup of coffee), kilo kartuleid (a kilo of potatoes).

Examples (6)

  1. Mul on täna vähe aega.

    I have little time today.

    Aeg cannot be counted, so it is partitive singular: aega.

  2. Linnas on palju inimesi.

    There are a lot of people in town.

    Inimene can be counted, so it is partitive plural: inimesi.

  3. Kas ma võin natuke vett saada?

    Could I have a little water?

  4. Tal on palju sõpru.

    She has many friends.

  5. Palju õnne sünnipäevaks!

    Happy birthday!

    Word by Word: much happiness-PART birthday-TRANSL

    A fixed wish, literally "much happiness for the birthday".

  6. Ma söön liiga vähe puuvilju.

    I eat too little fruit.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the nominative after palju.

    Seal oli palju inimesed.
    Seal oli palju inimesi.

    Amount words are always followed by the partitive: inimesi, not inimesed.

  • Using the partitive singular with a countable noun.

    Tal on palju sõpra.
    Tal on palju sõpru.

    After palju and vähe, things you can count take the partitive plural. Numbers and the words mitu and paar take the singular instead: kaks sõpra, mitu sõpra.

How It Connects

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palju / vähe / natuke + PartitiveLevel 2Amount Words Take the Partitive

Learn This First

Amount words take the partitive.

Words in This Pattern

paljuvähevähe