Language Reform Heritage

Level 6

From 1912 into the 1920s, Johannes Aavik and his supporters reshaped written Estonian. Many forms and words you learn today, like vanim and relv, come from that reform.

How It Works

In 1912 the linguist Johannes Aavik began the language reform (keeleuuendus). He wanted written Estonian to become as rich and flexible as the major languages of Europe, and quickly. The movement was most active until the mid-1920s.

Grammar the reform spread

  • the one-word superlative in -im: parim, suurim, vanim, uusim (next to kõige parem, kõige suurem)
  • wider use of the vowel plural: jalul (on one's feet), silmis (in the eyes of), käsil (in progress)
  • short literary verb forms: -nuks (tulnuks = oleks tulnud), -nuvat (tulnuvat = olevat tulnud) and the -maks form (tulemaks, in order to come)

New words. Aavik brought in words from dialects and from Finnish, such as hetk (moment), julm (cruel), levima (to spread) and tootma (to produce). He also invented about 200 completely new word stems. Only a few dozen stuck, but those are now normal words: relv (weapon), roim (crime), embama (to hug), laip (dead body), mõrv (murder), reetma (to betray), veenma (to convince), meenuma (to come to mind), lünk (gap), range (strict) and uje (shy).

What this means for you. You do not need to treat these words as special: relv and parim are everyday Estonian. The history explains why written Estonian often has two ways to say the same thing (kõige suurem or suurim), and why forms like -nuks feel bookish.

Two practical points. Never put kõige in front of an -im form: say parim or kõige parem, not kõige parim. And some new verbs have their own conjugation: naasma (to return) goes like tõusma, so the past is naasis, not naases.

Examples (6)

  1. See on linna vanim maja.

    This is the oldest house in town.

  2. Ta on minu parim sõber.

    She is my best friend.

  3. Olin terve päeva jalul.

    I was on my feet all day.

  4. Politsei leidis mõrvarelva.

    The police found the murder weapon.

  5. Ema embas last kõvasti.

    The mother hugged the child tightly.

  6. Mulle meenus, et jätsin ukse lukustamata.

    I remembered that I had left the door unlocked.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting kõige in front of an -im superlative.

    Ta on minu kõige parim sõber.
    Ta on minu parim sõber.

    The -im ending already means most. Use either parim or kõige parem, never both together.

  • Conjugating naasma like a regular -ma verb in the past.

    Ta naases koju hilja.
    Ta naasis koju hilja.

    naasma is a reform word that goes like tõusma: naaseb, naasis, naasnud.

How It Connects

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Language Reform HeritageLevel 6

Learn This First

The reform spread the vowel plural and short superlative.

Words in This Pattern

parimrelvroimembamajalul