Inessive (-s)

Level 1

The inessive (seesütlev) adds -s and means "in": Ma olen koolis (I am at school).

How It Works

Estonian has no separate word for "in". The ending -s does the job.

1. Form
Add -s to the genitive stem. The stem may change because of consonant gradation, so learn the genitive:

  • kool → kooli → koolis (at school)
  • Tallinn → Tallinna → Tallinnas (in Tallinn)
  • kott → koti → kotis (in the bag)
  • pood → poe → poes (in the shop)
  • tuba → toa → toas (in the room)

2. Uses

  • Location inside: Raamat on kotis. With elama: Ta elab Tallinnas.
  • Time: months take the inessive: Minu sünnipäev on märtsis.
  • A state: Ta on hädas. (He is in trouble.)

3. Inside vs on
Use -s for inside. For "on" a surface, and for some places like work and the market, Estonian uses the adessive -l: laual (on the table), tööl (at work). See inner and outer local cases.

4. The three inner cases

  • kuhu? (where to?) → illative: Tallinnasse
  • kus? (where?) → inessive: Tallinnas
  • kust? (where from?) → elative: Tallinnast

The inessive is only for being somewhere. For movement, choose the illative or the elative (see kus, kust, kuhu).

Examples (5)

  1. Ma olen koolis.

    I am at school.

    Word by Word: I am in-school.

    kool → kooli → koolis.

  2. Ta elab Tallinnas.

    She lives in Tallinn.

    Word by Word: She lives in-Tallinn.

  3. Raamat on kotis.

    The book is in the bag.

    Word by Word: Book is in-bag.

    kott → koti → kotis: the double t shortens before the ending.

  4. Olen poes.

    I am at the shop.

    Word by Word: (I) am in-shop.

    pood → poe → poes: the d disappears in the genitive stem.

  5. Minu sünnipäev on märtsis.

    My birthday is in March.

    Word by Word: My birthday is in-March.

    Months take the inessive.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the inessive for movement into a place.

    Ma lähen koolis.
    Ma lähen kooli.

    The inessive means being somewhere. For going into a place, use the illative: kooli or Tallinnasse.

  • Adding -s to the dictionary form when the stem changes.

    Ma olen poodis.
    Ma olen poes.

    The ending goes on the genitive stem, and the genitive of pood is poe. So "in the shop" is poes.

  • Using "inside" when the meaning is "on top of".

    Raamat on lauas.
    Raamat on laual.

    lauas would mean inside the table. For on a surface, use the adessive -l: laual.

How It Connects

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

Inessive (-s)Level 1

Learn This First

The inessive is the first inner place case and uses the genitive stem.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.