Negative Conditional
Ma ei läheks sinna means I would not go there. Put ei before the verb and use the form ending in -ks.
How It Works
To say what someone would not do, put ei before the conditional form that ends in -ks. This form has no personal ending, so it is the same for everyone.
- ma ei läheks, sa ei läheks, ta ei läheks
- me ei läheks, te ei läheks, nad ei läheks
It is built just like the positive third person: take the positive ta läheks and put ei in front. Because the ending does not show the person, keep the pronoun: Ma ei teaks, not just Ei teaks, unless the person is already clear.
With olema you can use ei oleks or the short poleks: Ma poleks selles nii kindel. (I would not be so sure about that.) The past form uses the same pattern: ei oleks tulnud or poleks tulnud (would not have come).
As in every negative sentence, an object is in the partitive: Ma ei ostaks seda autot.
A negative question makes an invitation or request softer: Kas sa ei tahaks meiega tulla? (Wouldn't you like to come with us?)
Examples (6)
- Ma ei läheks sinna üksi.
I would not go there alone.
Word by Word: I not would-go there alone
Ei plus läheks, the -ks form without a personal ending.
- Ilma sinuta ma ei teaks, mida teha.
Without you I would not know what to do.
Teadma → ei teaks.
- Me ei ostaks nii kallist autot.
We would not buy such an expensive car.
The object is in the partitive (kallist autot) because the sentence is negative.
- Ma poleks selles nii kindel.
I would not be so sure about that.
Poleks is the short form of ei oleks.
- Kas sa ei tahaks meiega kinno tulla?
Wouldn't you like to come to the cinema with us?
A negative conditional question sounds like a friendly invitation.
- Nad ei usuks seda kunagi.
They would never believe it.
Nad also takes the same form, ei usuks.
Common Mistakes
Adding a personal ending after ei.
Me ei ostaksime seda.Me ei ostaks seda.After ei the conditional never takes -n, -d, -me, -te or -d. Every person uses the -ks form.
Using a whole object in the genitive after ei.
Ma ei ostaks selle raamatu.Ma ei ostaks seda raamatut.A negative verb always takes a partitive object, in the conditional too.
Using ei with the full personal form of olema.
Ma ei oleksin seda teinud.Ma ei oleks seda teinud.The rule also covers olema: ei oleks or poleks, never ei oleksin.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The negative conditional is ei plus -ks.
Related Patterns
- Short Conditional
The negative always looks like the short conditional: ei läheks.
Level 3 - Would Have (oleksin teinud)
Its negative is ei oleks or poleks plus the -nud form.
Level 3 - Partitive After Negation
The object of a negative conditional is in the partitive.
Level 1 - Negative Past
Another negative form where ei is followed by one fixed form for every person.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Negative Conditional in Bubblegum
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