Essive (-na)
Ta töötab õpetajana means "She works as a teacher." Lapsena elasin maal means "As a child, I lived in the countryside."
How It Works
The essive answers the question kellena? millena? (as whom? as what?).
Form: genitive stem + -na. In the plural: plural genitive + -na.
- õpetaja → õpetajana, laps (lapse) → lapsena, inimene (inimese) → inimesena
- plural: sõbrad (sõprade) → sõpradena, lapsed (laste) → lastena
Uses:
- a job or role: Ta töötab õpetajana.
- a stage of life or state: Lapsena elasin maal. Ta lamas haigena voodis. (He lay ill in bed.)
- a purpose: Kasutan seda tuba kabinetina. (I use this room as a study.)
- an order: Esimese asjana jõin kohvi. (The first thing I did was drink coffee.)
Essive or translative? The essive -na is a role you are in; the translative -ks is a role you move into. Compare Ta töötab arstina (works as a doctor) with Ta sai arstiks (became a doctor).
An adjective before an essive noun does not take -na. It stays in the genitive: hea sõbrana, täieliku võhikuna (as a complete layman).
Examples (6)
- Ta töötab õpetajana.
She works as a teacher.
Word by Word: she works teacher-as
- Lapsena elasin maal.
As a child, I lived in the countryside.
- Ta tuli peole nõiana.
She came to the party as a witch.
Nõid → nõia → nõiana.
- Kasutan seda tuba kabinetina.
I use this room as a study.
The essive can show what something is used for.
- Esimese asjana jõin tassi kohvi.
The first thing I did was drink a cup of coffee.
Esimese stays in the genitive before asjana.
- Me lahkusime sõpradena.
We parted as friends.
Plural essive: sõprade + na.
Common Mistakes
Leaving the job word in the nominative.
Ma töötan kokk.Ma töötan kokana.To say what you work as, the job word takes the essive: kokk → koka → kokana.
Using the essive for "became".
Ta sai arstina.Ta sai arstiks.Saama (to become) needs the translative -ks. The essive is for a role you are already in.
Adding -na to the adjective too.
Ta töötab heana õpetajana.Ta töötab hea õpetajana.With the essive, an adjective in front stays in the genitive.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The essive is related to the translative.
Related Patterns
- Adjectives with -ni, -na, -ta, -ga
Why the adjective before -na stays in the genitive.
Level 3 - Genitive (Owner Form)
The essive is built on the genitive stem.
Level 1 - The Fourteen Cases
Where the essive fits among the fourteen cases.
Level 1 - pidama + TranslativeConsidering Something as
Another pattern that talks about roles, using -ks.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice Essive (-na) in Bubblegum
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