on vaja

Needing (On Vaja)

Level 2

Mul on vaja uut telefoni means I need a new phone. Mul on vaja minna means I need to go.

How It Works

vaja means needed. It never changes form. The pattern is built like mul on (I have):

  • Who needs goes in the adessive: mul, sul, tal, meil, teil, neil, Maril.
  • olema stays in the third person: on, past oli, negative ei ole or pole.
  • A needed thing is usually in the partitive: Mul on vaja abi, raha, uut telefoni. A needed person too: Mul on sind vaja (I need you).
  • A needed action is in the da-infinitive: Mul on vaja minna, magada, harjutada.

The word order is flexible: Mul on vaja abi and Mul on abi vaja both work. Questions often end with the verb: Mis sul vaja on? Without a person, the sentence states a general need: Reisimiseks on vaja passi.

The verb vajama (Ma vajan abi) also exists, but it sounds more formal. In everyday speech, mul on vaja is the natural choice.

Examples (6)

  1. Mul on vaja uut telefoni.

    I need a new phone.

    Word by Word: at-me is needed new phone

    The needed thing is in the partitive.

  2. Mul on vaja minna.

    I need to go.

    A needed action is in the da-infinitive.

  3. Kas sul on abi vaja?

    Do you need help?

    Vaja can also stand after the thing that is needed.

  4. Meil pole vaja kiirustada.

    We do not need to hurry.

    Pole vaja is the negative.

  5. Maril oli vaja arsti juurde minna.

    Mari needed to go to the doctor.

    The past uses oli, and Mari is in the adessive.

  6. Reisimiseks on vaja passi.

    You need a passport to travel.

    With no person, the sentence states a general need.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the person who needs in the nominative, as in English.

    Ma olen vaja minna.
    Mul on vaja minna.

    vaja is not a verb for the person. The person goes in the adessive, just like in mul on.

  • Using the ma-infinitive after vaja.

    Mul on vaja minema.
    Mul on vaja minna.

    After on vaja the action is in the da-infinitive.

  • Putting a needed pronoun in the nominative.

    Mul on vaja sina.
    Mul on sind vaja.

    The needed person or thing is in the partitive, so sina becomes sind.

How It Connects

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

on vajaLevel 2Needing (On Vaja)

Learn This First

Needing uses the adessive with on vaja.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

olema