Key Forms of a Noun
Learn each new noun with three forms: nominative, genitive and partitive singular. raamat, raamatu, raamatut (book); laps, lapse, last (child).
How It Works
An Estonian noun has fourteen cases in the singular and the plural, but you do not memorise every form. Dictionaries list a few key forms (põhivormid), and the rest follow from them. The full set is:
- nominative singular: laps
- genitive singular: lapse
- partitive singular: last
- genitive plural: laste
- partitive plural: lapsi
- for some words, a short illative: kool → kooli
Begin with the first three. They show changes that the nominative does not reveal:
- raamat, raamatu, raamatut (book): a vowel appears before the endings.
- laps, lapse, last (child): the stem changes.
- jalg, jala, jalga (foot, leg): consonant gradation.
- tuba, toa, tuba (room): the genitive is short, and the partitive has no ending.
The genitive is the most useful key form. Add an ending to it and you get most singular cases and the nominative plural: lapse → lapsel, lapsega, lapsed; toa → toas, toast, toad. The genitive plural does the same job for the plural cases: laste → lastega, lastel. The partitive helps with the plural too: for many words the plural genitive is the partitive plus -e, as in last → laste and raamatut → raamatute.
Examples (6)
- See on minu raamat.
This is my book.
Nominative raamat, the dictionary form.
- Raamatu kaas on sinine.
The book's cover is blue.
Genitive raamatu is also the stem for raamatus, raamatust and raamatud.
- Ma loen raamatut.
I am reading a book.
Partitive raamatut, the third key form.
- Lapsel on uus jalgratas.
The child has a new bike.
Lapsel is built on the genitive lapse, not on laps.
- Ma näen last.
I see a child.
The partitive last cannot be guessed from laps.
- Toas on kaks akent.
There are two windows in the room.
Toas uses toa, the genitive of tuba.
Common Mistakes
Adding case endings to the nominative.
Ma olen tubas.Ma olen toas.Case endings go on the genitive stem. The genitive of tuba is toa, so 'in the room' is toas.
Guessing the partitive from the nominative.
Ma näen lapst.Ma näen last.The partitive of laps is last. Learn it as a key form instead of building it.
Building the nominative plural from the nominative singular.
Mu jalgad on väsinud.Mu jalad on väsinud.The nominative plural adds -d to the genitive jala, which gives jalad.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The key forms are the nominative, genitive and partitive.
Related Patterns
- Nominative (Basic Form)
The first key form and the dictionary form.
Level 1 - Genitive (Owner Form)
The second key form and the stem for most other singular cases.
Level 1 - Partitive Endings
Explains the possible shapes of the partitive key form.
Level 2 - Plural Genitive (-de/-te)
The plural key form that the plural cases are built on.
Level 2 - Consonant Gradation
Many key-form differences, such as jalg and jala, come from gradation.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Key Forms of a Noun in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Estonian lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
