Hesitant Questions (ega)

Level 5

Ega sa ei tea, kus mu võtmed on? means You wouldn't happen to know where my keys are? Ega makes the question softer or worried.

How It Works

Ega at the start of a sentence makes a negative question with a special feeling:

  • Hesitant or hopeful: Ega sa ei tea, kus mu võtmed on? (You wouldn't happen to know where my keys are?)
  • Worried: Ega sa haige ei ole? (You're not ill, are you?)

How to build it: ega + subject + (other words) + ei + the verb in its negative form. The verb has no personal ending, just as after ei: ei tea, ei ole, ei lähe. The verb often moves to the end: Ega te juba koju ei lähe?

The word ei is usual, but it can be left out: Ega sa tea? The verb keeps its negative form either way.

Ega can also end a sentence as a tag: Sa ei jäta mind maha, ega? (You won't leave me, will you?)

At the start of a statement, ega softens a negative: Ega see lihtne ei ole. (It's not exactly easy, you know.)

Do not confuse this with ega meaning and not or nor in ei ... ega.

Examples (6)

  1. Ega sa ei tea, kus mu võtmed on?

    You wouldn't happen to know where my keys are?

    Word by Word: ega you not know where my keys are

    A hopeful request for help.

  2. Ega sa haige ei ole?

    You're not ill, are you?

    A worried question; the verb goes to the end.

  3. Ega midagi halba ei ole juhtunud?

    Nothing bad has happened, has it?

    The speaker hopes the answer is no.

  4. Ega te juba koju ei lähe?

    You're not going home already, are you?

    The verb stays in its negative form: ei lähe.

  5. Sa ei jäta mind maha, ega?

    You won't leave me, will you?

    Ega as a tag at the end.

  6. Ega see lihtne ei ole.

    It's not exactly easy, you know.

    In a statement, ega softens the negative.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a personal ending on the verb after ega.

    Ega sa tead, kus ta on?
    Ega sa ei tea, kus ta on?

    An ega question is negative, so the verb takes its negative form without a personal ending: ei tea, not tead.

How It Connects

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Hesitant Questions (ega)Level 5

Learn This First

ega at the start makes a hesitant question.

Words in This Pattern

ega