minema + ma-Infinitive

Going to Do Something

Level 2

Ma lähen sööma means I am going to eat. Ma käin ujumas means I go swimming (and come back).

How It Works

Estonian treats an activity almost like a place. The three forms of the ma-infinitive answer the same questions as the local cases:

  • -ma (where to?): with minema, tulema, jooksma, sõitma. Ma lähen sööma. Tule sööma!
  • -mas (where?): with käima (go and come back) and olema. Ma käin ujumas. Ema on poes käimas.
  • -mast (where from?): with tulema. Isa tuli jooksmast.

Some everyday phrases use this pattern: läks magama (went to bed), lähme jalutama (let's go for a walk), kutsu lapsed sööma (call the children to eat).

Compare this with the da-infinitive, which follows wanting and being able: Ma tahan ujuda (I want to swim) but Ma lähen ujuma (I am going swimming).

Examples (6)

  1. Ma lähen sööma.

    I am going to eat.

    Word by Word: I go eat-to

  2. Tule meile õhtust sööma!

    Come to our place for dinner!

    Tulema also takes the ma-infinitive of purpose.

  3. Lähme homme ujuma.

    Let's go swimming tomorrow.

  4. Ma käin kaks korda nädalas ujumas.

    I go swimming twice a week.

    With käima the -mas form is used.

  5. Isa tuli just jooksmast.

    Dad just came back from a run.

    The -mast form says where you are coming back from.

  6. Laps läks magama.

    The child went to bed.

    Word by Word: child went sleep-to

Common Mistakes

  • Using the da-infinitive after minema.

    Ma lähen ujuda.
    Ma lähen ujuma.

    After verbs of motion the purpose is in the ma-infinitive.

  • Using -ma after käima.

    Ma käin iga päev ujuma.
    Ma käin iga päev ujumas.

    käima describes being at the activity and coming back, so it takes the -mas form.

  • Using -mas when coming back from an activity.

    Ma tulen ujumas.
    Ma tulen ujumast.

    Coming back from an activity is "where from", so it takes -mast.

How It Connects

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

minema + ma-InfinitiveLevel 2Going to Do Something

Learn This First

Going to do something combines minema with the ma-infinitive.

Words in This Pattern

tulemakäima-ma