Bible Estonian

Level 6

Sinu riik tulgu means your kingdom come. Bible Estonian uses the jussive (-gu) and some words in older meanings.

How It Works

The first complete Bible in Estonian was printed in 1739. Later Bibles, such as those of 1968 and 1997, modernized the language, but prayers and famous verses keep a solemn, older style.

The Lord's Prayer (Meie Isa palve) shows most features at once:

  • Pühitsetud olgu sinu nimi. (Hallowed be your name.) olgu + -tud form, with the participle first for emphasis.
  • Sinu riik tulgu. (Your kingdom come.) The jussive -gu: let it come.
  • Sinu tahtmine sündigu nagu taevas, nõnda ka maa peal. (Your will be done on earth as in heaven.) sündima here means to happen, and nõnda is a literary word for nii.
  • Meie igapäevast leiba anna meile tänapäev. tänapäev here means today. In modern Estonian it means the present day, and tänapäeval means nowadays.
  • Sest sinu päralt on riik ja vägi ja au igavesti. päralt (belonging to) follows the genitive.

Other famous lines: Saagu valgus! (Let there be light!) and Õndsad on vaimust vaesed. (Blessed are the poor in spirit.)

Old commands. The 1739 Bible said Sa ei pea mitte tapma for thou shalt not kill. Modern Bibles say Sa ei tohi tappa! In today's Estonian ei pea means do not have to, so use ei tohi for must not.

Examples (6)

  1. Pühitsetud olgu sinu nimi.

    Hallowed be your name.

  2. Sinu riik tulgu.

    Your kingdom come.

  3. Sinu tahtmine sündigu nagu taevas, nõnda ka maa peal.

    Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

  4. Saagu valgus!

    Let there be light!

  5. Õndsad on vaimust vaesed.

    Blessed are the poor in spirit.

  6. Sa ei pea mitte tapma.

    Thou shalt not kill. (1739 wording)

Common Mistakes

  • Using the old Bible meaning of ei pea in modern Estonian.

    Sa ei pea valetama! (meaning: you must not lie)
    Sa ei tohi valetada!

    In modern Estonian ei pea means you do not have to. To forbid something, use ei tohi with the da-infinitive, as modern Bibles do: Sa ei tohi tappa!

  • Using tänapäev to mean today.

    Tänapäev lähen poodi.
    Täna lähen poodi.

    tänapäev meant today only in old texts like the Lord's Prayer. Now it means the present day; say täna for today.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Bible EstonianLevel 6

Learn This First

Liturgical language keeps jussives and literary words.

Words in This Pattern

nõndaolematulema