Let Someone Do It (-gu/-ku)

Level 4

Tulgu ta homme means let him come tomorrow, or he should come tomorrow. The -gu/-ku form gives a command or wish about someone who is not being spoken to.

How It Works

The -gu/-ku form (the jussive) is a command or wish about a third person: him, her, them. English says let him ... or he should ...

How to form it. Take the plural command in -ge/-ke and change the ending to -gu/-ku:

  • tulge: tulgu (let him come)
  • olge: olgu (let it be)
  • minge: mingu (let her go)
  • oodake: oodaku (let them wait)
  • tehke: tehku (let him do it)

The same form is used for singular and plural: Tulgu ta. Tulgu nad. The subject often comes after the verb.

Common uses

  • A command passed on to someone else: Ütle Marile, et ta helistagu mulle. (Tell Mari to call me.)
  • Letting someone do as they like: Tehku ta, mida tahab.
  • Wishes and slogans: Elagu Eesti! (Long live Estonia!)
  • Olgu! (Okay! Fine!), a very common reply.

Negative. Use ärgu before the -gu/-ku form: Ärgu ta muretsegu. (He shouldn't worry.)

A softer everyday way to say let him is las with the normal present: Las ta tuleb.

Examples (6)

  1. Tulgu ta homme.

    Let him come tomorrow.

    Word by Word: come-let he tomorrow

    tulge → tulgu; the subject ta comes after the verb.

  2. Tehku ta, mida tahab.

    Let her do whatever she wants.

    tehke → tehku.

  3. Olgu, ma tulen.

    Okay, I'll come.

    Olgu is an everyday word for okay.

  4. Ütle Marile, et ta helistagu mulle.

    Tell Mari to call me.

    A command passed on through another person.

  5. Elagu Eesti!

    Long live Estonia!

    A fixed wish and slogan.

  6. Oodaku nad natuke.

    Let them wait a little.

    The same form for plural nad; oodake → oodaku.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the second-person plural command for a third person.

    Tulge ta homme.
    Tulgu ta homme.

    tulge speaks to you (plural). For him, her or them, use the -gu form: tulgu.

  • Adding a plural ending.

    Tulgud nad homme.
    Tulgu nad homme.

    The -gu/-ku form never takes a personal or plural ending. It is tulgu for ta and nad.

  • Making the negative with ei.

    Ei tulgu ta.
    Ärgu ta tulgu.

    Commands and the -gu form are made negative with ära forms. Here that is ärgu.

How It Connects

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Let Someone Do It (-gu/-ku)Level 4

Learn This First

The third-person command is built like the plural command.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

olgu