ka ei / ka mitte

Not Either (Ka Ei, Ka Mitte)

Level 3

Ka means "also". In a negative sentence it means "either": Mina ka ei tea means "I don't know either."

How It Works

The little word ka means "also, too". English switches to either or neither in a negative sentence, but Estonian keeps ka and simply adds the negation.

  • Full sentence: put ka next to the word it adds, then ei and the verb: Mina ka ei tea. (I don't know either.) Ka Mari ei tulnud. (Mari didn't come either.)
  • Short reply with no verb: use mitte: Mina ka mitte. (Me neither.) In speech you also hear Mina ka ei.
  • Adding one more thing to a list of "nots": Keegi ei osanud aidata, ka arst mitte. (Nobody could help, not even the doctor.)

Remember that mitte does not negate an ordinary verb. With a verb you need ei: Mina ka ei tea, never Mina ka mitte tea. Mitte is for the verbless reply or for a single word.

A more formal word for ka is samuti: Mina samuti mitte. In relaxed speech people also say Ega mina ka ei tea, which sounds a little more emphatic.

Examples (6)

  1. Mina ka ei tea.

    I don't know either.

    Word by Word: I also not know

    Ka comes right after mina, and ei follows.

  2. „Ma ei ole Tartus käinud.“ – „Mina ka mitte.“

    "I haven't been to Tartu." – "Me neither."

    In a reply without a verb, mitte carries the negation.

  3. Ka Mari ei tulnud peole.

    Mari didn't come to the party either.

    Ka can also stand just before the word it adds.

  4. Keegi ei osanud aidata, ka arst mitte.

    Nobody could help, not even the doctor.

  5. Täna ei saja ja homme ka mitte.

    It isn't raining today, and it won't tomorrow either.

  6. Liha ma ei söö. Kala ma ka ei söö.

    I don't eat meat. I don't eat fish either.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting mitte before ka.

    Mina mitte ka.
    Mina ka mitte.

    The fixed order is the word, then ka, then mitte.

  • Using mitte to negate a verb.

    Mina ka mitte tea.
    Mina ka ei tea.

    A conjugated verb is negated with ei. Mitte is only for the short reply or for a single word.

  • Answering a negative sentence with plain Mina ka.

    „Ma ei joo kohvi.“ – „Mina ka.“
    „Ma ei joo kohvi.“ – „Mina ka mitte.“

    Mina ka agrees with a positive sentence, so here it sounds like "I do too". To mean "me neither", keep the negation.

How It Connects

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

ka ei / ka mitteLevel 3Not Either (Ka Ei, Ka Mitte)

Learn This First

Not either combines ka with negation.

Words in This Pattern

mitte