ehk
Or and That Is (Ehk)
Diameeter ehk läbimõõt means the diameter, in other words the width across. Ehk ta tuleb means maybe he will come.
How It Works
1. That is, in other words. Ehk joins two names for the same thing, often a foreign word and a native one, or a term and its explanation:
- Ta õpib lingvistikat ehk keeleteadust. (She studies linguistics, that is, the science of language.)
- Kakskümmend eurot ehk pool summast on juba makstud. (Twenty euros, or half the sum, has already been paid.)
Both words take the same case: lingvistikat ehk keeleteadust. Usually no comma is needed before ehk. For a choice between two different things, use või: Kas tee või kohv? In older texts ehk could also mean or, but today that use sounds old-fashioned.
2. Perhaps. As an adverb, ehk means maybe:
- Ehk ta tuleb homme. (Maybe he will come tomorrow.)
- Kas sa ehk tead, kus ta elab? (Do you happen to know where he lives?)
In questions and requests, ehk makes the question softer and more polite.
Do not confuse ehk with ehkki, which means although.
Examples (5)
- Ta õpib lingvistikat ehk keeleteadust.
She studies linguistics, that is, the science of language.
Both names are in the same case, the partitive.
- Diameeter ehk läbimõõt on kümme sentimeetrit.
The diameter, or width across, is ten centimeters.
- Ehk ta tuleb homme.
Maybe he'll come tomorrow.
- Kas sa ehk tead, kus ta elab?
Do you happen to know where he lives?
Ehk makes the question softer.
- Ehk oleks parem homme minna.
Perhaps it would be better to go tomorrow.
Common Mistakes
Using või to explain a term.
Ta õpib lingvistikat või keeleteadust.Ta õpib lingvistikat ehk keeleteadust.Intended meaning: linguistics, which is the same as keeleteadus. Või makes them sound like two different subjects; ehk says they are the same thing.
Using ehk for although.
Ehk oli hilja, jätkasime tööd.Ehkki oli hilja, jätkasime tööd.Ehk means that is or perhaps. The word for although is ehkki.
How It Connects
Learn This First
ehk is another or.
Related Patterns
- kas ... võiEither ... or and Whether
Kas ... või asks about two different options.
Level 3 - ehkki / olgugi etFormal Although
Ehkki looks similar but means although.
Level 5 - nimeltNamely (Nimelt)
Nimelt also explains what was just said.
Level 5 - ju / küll / vist / ometiParticles Ju, Küll, Vist, Ometi
Ehk (perhaps) sits alongside vist (probably) as a word for how sure you are.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice ehk in Bubblegum
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