Finishing Words (ära, läbi, valmis)
Ma sõin leiva ära means I ate up the bread. ära shows the eating was completed, so leib takes the whole-object form leiva.
How It Works
English uses "up", "through" or "finished" to show that an action was completed. Estonian uses small particles:
- ära: completely, all gone: sõin leiva ära (ate up the bread), unustasin ära (forgot completely)
- läbi: through to the end: lugesin raamatu läbi (read the book through)
- valmis: ready, finished: tegin kodutöö valmis, maja sai valmis
- täis: full: vala klaas täis (fill the glass)
- kinni: closed, shut: pane uks kinni
The object becomes whole. Compare Ma lugesin raamatut (I was reading the book, maybe without finishing) with Ma lugesin raamatu läbi (I read the whole book). With a particle, a singular object is normally in the genitive, or in the nominative in commands and impersonal sentences: Söö leib ära! Raamat loeti läbi.
Negation still wins. After ei, the object is partitive even with a particle: Ma ei lugenud raamatut läbi.
valmis never changes. It keeps the same form in every sentence, even after saama: Maja sai valmis. täis also stays as it is after olema and saama: Klaas on täis.
Other meanings. These words have other jobs too. ära also means "away" (Ta läks ära) and starts a negative command (Ära mine!). läbi also means "through" a place. The particle usually comes after the verb, but in a subordinate clause it often stands before it: kui ma raamatu läbi lugesin.
Examples (6)
- Ma sõin leiva ära.
I ate up the bread.
Word by Word: I ate bread-GEN away
ära marks the bread as completely eaten, so leib is in the genitive.
- Lugesin raamatu ühe õhtuga läbi.
I read the whole book in one evening.
- Maja sai lõpuks valmis.
The house was finally finished.
valmis never changes its form.
- Vala mu klaas täis, palun.
Fill my glass, please.
A command, so the whole object klaas is in the nominative.
- Ma ei lugenud raamatut läbi.
I didn't finish reading the book.
After ei, the object is partitive even with läbi.
- Kas sa said kodutöö valmis?
Did you get your homework done?
Common Mistakes
Keeping a partitive object with a completion particle.
Ma sõin leiba ära.Ma sõin leiva ära.ära says the bread is all eaten, so it is a whole object in the genitive.
Using a whole object after negation.
Ma ei lugenud raamatu läbi.Ma ei lugenud raamatut läbi.Negation always makes the object partitive, even with läbi.
Adding a case ending to valmis.
Maja sai valmiks.Maja sai valmis.After saama, most adjectives take -ks, but valmis never changes.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Aspect particles make the object whole.
Related Patterns
- Partitive Object
Without a particle, a partitive object often means the action was not finished.
Level 2 - Whole Object in the Nominative
In commands and impersonal sentences, the whole object is nominative.
Level 3 - Where the Particle Goes
Where the particle goes in main and subordinate clauses.
Level 4 - Adjectives That Never Change
valmis is one of the words that never change.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice Finishing Words (ära, läbi, valmis) in Bubblegum
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