oma
One's Own (Oma)
Ta võttis oma raamatu means She took her own book. Ta võttis tema raamatu means She took someone else's book.
How It Works
oma is the own word. It points back to the subject of the same sentence and works for every person:
- Ma unustasin oma telefoni. (my phone)
- Me sõitsime oma autoga. (our car)
- Jaan helistas oma emale. (his own mother)
This matters most in the third person. Ta võttis oma raamatu means the book belongs to the person who took it. Ta võttis tema raamatu means it belongs to someone else. So when the owner is the subject, standard Estonian uses oma, not tema or minu.
Before a noun, oma does not change form: oma autoga, oma sõpradele, oma majas. Only the noun takes the ending.
Other points:
- After an adessive owner, oma means own: Mul on oma tuba. Igaühel on oma maitse.
- enda (from ise) means the same and is also correct: Viisin enda poja kooli. oma is more common.
- When it is obvious whose it is, oma can be left out: Ta pesi (oma) käed.
Examples (6)
- Ta võttis oma raamatu.
She took her (own) book.
Oma points back to the subject ta.
- Ta võttis tema raamatu.
She took his or her book (someone else's).
Tema points to a different person.
- Me sõitsime oma autoga.
We drove in our own car.
Oma stays the same; only autoga has the ending.
- Ma unustasin oma telefoni koju.
I left my phone at home.
- Jaan helistas oma emale.
Jaan called his mother.
- Mul on oma tuba.
I have my own room.
After mul on, oma means own.
Common Mistakes
Using tema for the subject's own thing.
Mari helistas tema emale.Mari helistas oma emale.If Mari called her own mother, use oma. Tema emale would mean someone else's mother.
Using minu for the subject's own thing in the first person.
Ma võtsin minu võtmed.Ma võtsin oma võtmed.When the owner is the subject, Estonian uses oma for every person.
Adding a case ending to oma before a noun.
Me sõitsime omaga autoga.Me sõitsime oma autoga.Before a noun, oma never changes. Only the noun takes the case ending.
How It Connects
Learn This First
oma refers back to the subject's own thing.
Related Patterns
- minu omaMine and Yours (Minu Oma)
oma after a genitive means mine, yours and whose.
Level 2 - ise / endSelf (Ise, End)
enda, a form of ise, can replace oma.
Level 3 - Genitive (Owner Form)
The case of the other possessive words.
Level 1 - mul onHaving (Mul on)
Mul on oma tuba uses oma after an adessive owner.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice oma in Bubblegum
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