mul on

Having (Mul on)

Level 1

"I have a dog" is Mul on koer, literally "at me is a dog". The owner takes the adessive -l.

How It Works

Estonian expresses "to have" with olema (to be) and the adessive: Mul on koer = "at me is a dog".

1. The owner

  • mina → mul (minul): Mul on koer.
  • sina → sul (sinul): Sul on ilus maja.
  • tema → tal (temal)
  • meie → meil, teie → teil, nemad → neil
  • a noun: Jaan → Jaanil, ema → emal

The short forms mul, sul and tal are normal in both speech and writing.

2. The verb is always on
Meil on uus korter. Neil on suur pere. The verb does not change to match "we" or "they".

3. The thing owned

  • Usually the basic form: Mul on koer.
  • After a number, the partitive: Jaanil on kaks last (see number + partitive singular).
  • For some amount of something, often the partitive: Kas sul on aega? (Do you have time?)

4. Questions and negatives
Ask with kas: Kas sul on koer? In the negative, the thing owned moves into the partitive: Mul ei ole koera. See mul ei ole.

The same pattern also describes feelings and needs: Mul on külm (I am cold; see mul on külm). A sentence like Laual on raamat (There is a book on the table) has the same shape; see existential clauses.

Examples (6)

  1. Mul on koer.

    I have a dog.

    Word by Word: At-me is dog.

  2. Sul on ilus maja.

    You have a beautiful house.

    Word by Word: At-you is beautiful house.

  3. Jaanil on kaks last.

    Jaan has two children.

    Word by Word: At-Jaan is two child-PART.

    After kaks, the thing owned is partitive.

  4. Kas sul on aega?

    Do you have time?

    Word by Word: Q at-you is time-PART?

    aeg → aega: an open amount of time is partitive.

  5. Meil on uus korter.

    We have a new flat.

    Word by Word: At-us is new flat.

  6. Neil on suur pere.

    They have a big family.

    Word by Word: At-them is big family.

    The verb stays on even with a plural owner.

Common Mistakes

  • Translating "I have" with the subject form and olema.

    Ma olen koer.
    Mul on koer.

    Ma olen koer means "I am a dog". For having, put the owner in the adessive: mul on.

  • Putting the owner in the basic form.

    Mina on auto.
    Mul on auto.

    The owner takes the adessive -l: mina → mul (minul).

  • Using the plural after a number.

    Meil on kaks lapsed.
    Meil on kaks last.

    After numbers from two up, use the partitive singular: kaks last.

How It Connects

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

mul onLevel 1Having (Mul on)

Learn This First

Having is the adessive plus on.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

olema