nimelt

Namely (Nimelt)

Level 5

Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt means She speaks three languages, namely Estonian, Russian and English.

How It Works

1. Naming the details (namely). After a general word, nimelt names exactly what you mean. The details take the same case as that word:

  • Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt. (She speaks three languages, namely Estonian, Russian and English.)
  • Mul on sulle üks palve, nimelt abi kolimisel. (I have one request for you, namely help with the move.)

2. Giving the reason (you see). Nimelt can explain why something happened. It can start the clause, with the verb right after it, or sit after the verb:

  • Ta ei tulnud, nimelt oli ta haige. (He did not come; he was sick, you see.)
  • Kolin järgmisel kuul, ma sain nimelt uue töö. (I am moving next month; I got a new job, you see.)

3. Exactly. In just nimelt it agrees strongly: Just nimelt! (Exactly!) Nimelt can also be a short question: Ja nimelt? (Such as? What exactly?)

Comma. Put a comma before nimelt when it starts the details or the reason. There is no comma after it.

Examples (6)

  1. Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt.

    She speaks three languages, namely Estonian, Russian and English.

    Keelt is partitive in both places because the list explains kolme keelt.

  2. Ta ei tulnud, nimelt oli ta haige.

    He didn't come; he was sick, you see.

    Word by Word: he not came, namely was he sick

  3. Mul on sulle üks palve, nimelt abi kolimisel.

    I have one request for you, namely help with the move.

  4. Mul on autoga probleem, nimelt ei käivitu see hommikuti.

    I have a problem with my car: it won't start in the mornings.

  5. Kolin järgmisel kuul, ma sain nimelt uue töö.

    I'm moving next month; I got a new job, you see.

    Here nimelt sits after the verb and gives the reason.

  6. Just nimelt, seda ma mõtlesingi!

    Exactly, that's just what I meant!

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the comma before nimelt.

    Ta räägib kolme keelt nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt.
    Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt.

    Nimelt starts an explaining part, so a comma comes before it.

  • Putting the named details in a different case.

    Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keel.
    Ta räägib kolme keelt, nimelt eesti, vene ja inglise keelt.

    The details explain kolme keelt, so they take the same case: keelt, not keel.

How It Connects

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nimeltLevel 5Namely (Nimelt)

Learn This First

nimelt explains, like sest.

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Words in This Pattern

nimelt