kuidas
How (Kuidas)
kuidas means how in the sense "in what way": Kuidas sul läheb? (How are you?), Kuidas see töötab? (How does this work?), Kuidas sa tööle lähed? (How do you get to work?)
How It Works
kuidas never changes its form. It asks in what way something happens.
Common questions
- Kuidas sul läheb? – How are you? (literally "How is it going for you?") The answer is often Hästi, aitäh.
- Kuidas seda eesti keeles öelda? – How do you say this in Estonian?
- Kuidas ma kesklinna saan? – How do I get to the city centre?
Means of travel
When kuidas asks how you travel, the answer is often in the comitative: Kuidas sa tööle lähed? – Bussiga. (How do you get to work? – By bus.)
kuidas or kui?
English "how" before an adjective or an amount is kui in Estonian: Kui vana sa oled? (How old are you?), Kui kaugel see on? (How far is it?), Kui palju see maksab? (How much does it cost?)
Good to know
The usual greeting is Kuidas läheb? or Kuidas sul läheb?. A word-for-word copy of English, Kuidas sa oled?, is heard but sounds translated.
Examples (5)
- Kuidas sul läheb? – Hästi, aitäh.
How are you? – Fine, thanks.
Word by Word: how you-at goes – well thanks
- Kuidas see töötab?
How does this work?
Word by Word: how this works
- Kuidas sa tööle lähed? – Bussiga.
How do you get to work? – By bus.
Word by Word: how you to-work go – bus-with
- Kuidas seda eesti keeles öelda?
How do you say this in Estonian?
Word by Word: how this(PART) Estonian language-in to-say
- Kuidas ma kesklinna saan?
How do I get to the city centre?
Word by Word: how I city-centre(ILL) get
Common Mistakes
Using kuidas for "how much".
Kuidas palju see maksab?Kui palju see maksab?"How much" is kui palju. kuidas asks about the way something is done.
Using kuidas before an adjective.
Kuidas vana sa oled?Kui vana sa oled?Before an adjective, English "how" is kui: kui vana, kui suur, kui kaugel.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- kui palju / mituHow Much and How Many
kui palju asks "how much", which does not use kuidas.
Level 1 - miksWhy (Miks)
miks is the question word for "why".
Level 1 - Comitative (-ga)
Answers about travel often use -ga: bussiga, rongiga.
Level 1 - hästi / halvastiWell and Badly
Hästi and halvasti are typical answers to Kuidas läheb?
Level 1 - tere / head aegaGreetings
Kuidas läheb? is a common follow-up to tere.
Level 1 - da-InfinitiveThe Da-Infinitive
Kuidas seda öelda? pairs kuidas with a da-infinitive.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
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