Inside vs On and At

Level 1

Inside: -sse (into), -s (in), -st (out of). On or at: -le (onto), -l (on), -lt (off). Kass on majas (in the house), kass on katusel (on the roof).

How It Works

Estonian has six place cases. Think of them as a grid of two rows and three columns:

  • Inner (inside): majasse (into the house), majas (in the house), majast (out of the house)
  • Outer (on, at): lauale (onto the table), laual (on the table), laualt (off the table)

The columns answer three questions: kuhu? (where to?), kus? (where?) and kust? (where from?). See kus, kust and kuhu.

Use the inner cases for:

  • inside a container or building: kotis (in the bag), koolis (at school)
  • most towns and countries: Tallinnas, Eestis

Use the outer cases for:

  • surfaces: laual (on the table), seinal (on the wall)
  • people, including owners and receivers: mul on (I have), anna sõbrale (give to a friend)
  • some places, events and open areas: tööl (at work), turul (at the market), maal (in the countryside), peol (at a party). See places that take -l.
  • times: esmaspäeval (on Monday)

Home is special: koju, kodus, kodust. See special home words.

Each case has its own page: illative, inessive, elative, allative, adessive and ablative.

Examples (6)

  1. Kass on majas.

    The cat is in the house.

    Word by Word: Cat is house-in.

    Inner case -s: inside.

  2. Kass on katusel.

    The cat is on the roof.

    Word by Word: Cat is roof-on.

    Outer case -l: on a surface.

  3. Ma tulen poest.

    I'm coming from the shop.

    Word by Word: I come shop-out-of.

    Inner case -st: out of a building.

  4. Pane tass lauale.

    Put the cup on the table.

    Word by Word: Put cup table-onto.

    Outer case -le: onto a surface.

  5. Ma võtan raamatu laualt.

    I take the book off the table.

    Word by Word: I take book table-off.

    Outer case -lt: off a surface.

  6. Mul on auto.

    I have a car.

    Word by Word: At-me is car.

    The owner goes in the outer case: mul is "at me".

Common Mistakes

  • Using the inner case for something on a surface.

    Raamat on lauas.
    Raamat on laual.

    Lauas would mean inside the table, such as in a drawer. A book lying on the table takes the outer case -l.

  • Using the inner case with work.

    Ma lähen tööse.
    Ma lähen tööle.

    Töö (work) is one of the places that use the outer cases: tööle, tööl, töölt.

How It Connects

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

Inside vs On and AtLevel 1

Learn This First

The two sets of place cases are one part of the case system.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-lt