One Word or Two

Level 5

Vanaema (grandmother) is one word. Vana ema (an old mother) is two. The space changes who you are talking about.

How It Works

Estonian joins words into compounds much more often than English does. Whether you write one word or two depends on the meaning.

  • vanaema (grandmother) – vana ema (an old mother)
  • kalliskivi (a gemstone) – kallis kivi (an expensive stone)
  • peatükk (a chapter) – pea tükk (a piece of a head)
  • lapsepõlv (childhood) – lapse põlv (the child's knee)
  • riigikeel (official language) – riigi keel (the language of a state)
  • täiskarsklane (a teetotaller) – täis karsklane (a drunk teetotaller)

The ending test. In a compound noun the first part never changes. In a phrase, an adjective agrees with its noun:

  • kalliskivi → kalliskivist, kalliskive
  • kallis kivi → kallist kivist, kalleid kive
  • vanaema → vanaemale; vana ema → vanale emale

A compound whose first part is a genitive is also written together when it names one thing: bussipeatus (bus stop), raamatukogu (library). If you are unsure, check the word in a dictionary such as Sõnaveeb: if it is listed as one word, write it as one word.

Examples (6)

  1. Minu vanaema on kaheksakümmend aastat vana.

    My grandmother is eighty years old.

  2. Pingil istus üks vana ema oma täiskasvanud pojaga.

    An old mother was sitting on the bench with her grown-up son.

    Two words: a mother who is old, not a grandmother.

  3. Sõrmuses on punane kalliskivi.

    There is a red gemstone in the ring.

  4. Graniit on kallis kivi.

    Granite is an expensive stone.

    Two words: kallis simply describes the stone.

  5. Lugesin raamatu esimese peatüki läbi.

    I read through the first chapter of the book.

  6. Eesti keel on Eesti riigikeel.

    Estonian is the official language of Estonia.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing a compound as two words.

    Minu vana ema elab Tartus.
    Minu vanaema elab Tartus.

    Intended meaning: my grandmother lives in Tartu. Vana ema means an old mother. The compound vanaema is written as one word.

  • Splitting a genitive compound.

    Ootan sind bussi peatuses.
    Ootan sind bussipeatuses.

    Bussipeatus (bus stop) is one compound word, so it is written together in every case form.

How It Connects

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

One Word or TwoLevel 5

Learn This First

Compound spelling contrasts compounds with phrases.