teineteise / üksteise

Each Other

Level 4

Nad aitavad teineteist means they help each other. Choose the case the verb normally takes.

How It Works

To say each other or one another, Estonian uses teineteise or üksteise:

  • teineteise – only for two people or things
  • üksteise – for two or more

So two people can love teineteist or üksteist, but a whole class knows üksteist.

No nominative. These words can never be the subject, so they have no nominative form and no plural. The dictionary lists the genitive: teineteise, üksteise.

Use the case the verb needs, just as you would with a noun:

  • armastama, aitama + partitive: Nad armastavad teineteist.
  • kirjutama + allative: Nad kirjutavad teineteisele.
  • rääkima + comitative: Nad ei räägi teineteisega.
  • armuma + illative: Nad armusid teineteisesse.
  • a postposition + genitive: Sõbrad seisavad üksteise eest.

Each other or themselves? End or ennast means the action comes back to the same person: Nad pesid end. (They washed themselves.) Teineteise and üksteise mean the action goes from one person to the other: Nad aitasid teineteist.

For talking among themselves, omavahel is also common: Nad räägivad omavahel eesti keelt.

Examples (6)

  1. Nad armastavad teineteist väga.

    They love each other very much.

    Armastama takes the partitive: teineteist.

  2. Me aitame alati üksteist.

    We always help one another.

  3. Õde ja vend ei räägi enam teineteisega.

    The sister and brother no longer talk to each other.

    Rääkima with someone takes the comitative: teineteisega.

  4. Kõik klassi õpilased tunnevad üksteist.

    All the students in the class know one another.

    There are more than two people, so üksteist is used.

  5. Sõbrad seisavad üksteise eest.

    Friends stand up for one another.

    The postposition eest takes the genitive: üksteise eest.

  6. Nad kirjutasid teineteisele iga päev.

    They wrote to each other every day.

Common Mistakes

  • Using teineteise for more than two.

    Kõik viis last aitavad teineteist.
    Kõik viis last aitavad üksteist.

    In standard Estonian, teineteise is only for two. For three or more, use üksteise.

  • Using end when you mean each other.

    Nad aitavad end.
    Nad aitavad teineteist.

    Nad aitavad end means they help themselves. When the help goes from one to the other, use teineteist.

  • Leaving it in the genitive when the verb needs the partitive.

    Nad armastavad teineteise.
    Nad armastavad teineteist.

    Teineteise is only the dictionary form. Armastama takes the partitive, so say teineteist.

How It Connects

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

teineteise / üksteiseLevel 4Each Other

Learn This First

Each other works like the reflexive end.

Words in This Pattern

üksteiseteineteist