Impersonal Conditional (-taks)
Impersonal Conditional
Tehakse means it is done. Tehtaks means it would be done.
How It Works
Start from the negative impersonal present and add -ks:
- ei tehta → tehtaks (would be done)
- ei räägita → räägitaks (would be spoken)
- ei loeta → loetaks (would be read)
- ei sööda → söödaks (would be eaten)
- ei minda → mindaks (people would go)
The form usually goes with a condition: Seda tehtaks, kui oleks raha. (It would be done if there were money.) The negative is ei plus the same form: Seda ei tehtaks.
A whole object is in the nominative, as with every impersonal: Uus sild ehitataks kiiresti, kui riik annaks raha. A partial object stays in the partitive: Siin räägitaks rohkem eesti keelt.
For something that would have been done in the past, use oleks with the -tud form: Seda oleks tehtud. The -tud form already shows that the doer is not named, so olema stays oleks.
Examples (6)
- Seda tehtaks, kui oleks raha.
It would be done if there were money.
- Siin räägitaks rohkem eesti keelt, kui oleks kursusi.
More Estonian would be spoken here if there were courses.
- Kui ilm oleks parem, mängitaks õues.
If the weather were better, people would play outside.
- Ilma sinuta ei saadaks hakkama.
Nobody would manage without you.
- Kas seda lubataks?
Would that be allowed?
- Uus sild ehitataks kiiresti, kui riik annaks raha.
A new bridge would be built quickly if the state gave money.
The whole object, uus sild, stays in the nominative.
Common Mistakes
Putting a whole object in the genitive.
Uue silla ehitataks kiiresti.Uus sild ehitataks kiiresti.Impersonal forms take a whole object in the nominative, not the genitive.
Marking the impersonal twice in the past.
Seda oldaks tehtud, kui oleks olnud aega.Seda oleks tehtud, kui oleks olnud aega.The -tud form already shows that the doer is not named, so olema stays oleks.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The impersonal conditional combines the impersonal and the conditional.
Related Patterns
- Negative Impersonal
Add -ks to the negative impersonal form: ei räägita, räägitaks.
Level 3 - Would Have Been Done
The past version: oleks tehtud.
Level 5 - Whole Object in the Nominative
Impersonal verbs take a whole object in the nominative.
Level 3 - kui + ConditionalUnreal Conditions
The impersonal conditional often goes with a kui-clause.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Impersonal Conditional (-taks) in Bubblegum
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