üle / läbi / ümber
Over, Through, Around
Üle tee means across the road, läbi metsa means through the forest, and maja ümber means around the house. In these place meanings the noun is in the genitive.
How It Works
These three words work like English prepositions. The noun after them is in the genitive.
- üle + genitive: over or across. üle tee (across the road), üle jõe (across the river), Lennuk lendas üle linna. (The plane flew over the town.)
- läbi + genitive: through. läbi metsa (through the forest), läbi akna (through the window), läbi pilvede (through the clouds).
- ümber + genitive: around. It can go before or after the noun with the same meaning: ümber maja = maja ümber.
Extra meanings of üle
- Before a number or amount it means more than, and the number is in the genitive too: üle saja inimese (more than a hundred people), üle kümne aasta (more than ten years).
- üle päeva means every other day.
- After the noun, üle means about with verbs of feeling and arguing: Ta rõõmustas kingi üle. (She was happy about the present.) Nad vaidlesid hinna üle. (They argued about the price.)
Other uses
- After a time word, läbi means all through, and the time word is not in the genitive: päev läbi (all day long), aasta läbi (all year round), ööd läbi (all night long).
- After a number, ümber means about: kahekümne ümber (about twenty).
- All three are also verb particles without a noun: üle minema (to go across), läbi lugema (to read through), ümber tegema (to redo).
In the place meanings, do not use the partitive. The partitive goes with other front words such as mööda teed (along the road).
Examples (6)
- Mine üle tee ainult rohelise tulega.
Only cross the road on a green light.
Word by Word: go over road only green light-with
üle + tee (genitive of tee).
- Me kõndisime läbi metsa järve äärde.
We walked through the forest to the lake.
läbi + metsa (genitive of mets).
- Lapsed jooksid maja ümber.
The children ran around the house.
ümber after the noun; ümber maja means the same.
- Päike paistis läbi pilvede.
The sun shone through the clouds.
pilvede is the genitive plural of pilv.
- Kontserdil oli üle saja inimese.
There were more than a hundred people at the concert.
üle + a number means more than; saja and inimese are both genitive.
- Ma käin ujumas üle päeva.
I go swimming every other day.
üle päeva is a fixed phrase for every other day.
Common Mistakes
Using the partitive after üle or läbi.
Mine üle teed.Mine üle tee.üle and läbi need the genitive: tee, not teed. The partitive teed goes with mööda: mööda teed (along the road).
Putting the noun in a local case after läbi.
Me kõndisime läbi metsas.Me kõndisime läbi metsa.The word läbi already shows the movement through, so the noun stays in the plain genitive: metsa.
Using a local case with ümber.
Lapsed jooksid ümber majas.Lapsed jooksid ümber maja.ümber takes the genitive, before or after the noun: ümber maja or maja ümber.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These words go with a genitive, before or after it.
Related Patterns
- Words Before a Partitive (vastu, mööda)Words Before a Partitive
Other words that can come before the noun, but with the partitive: mööda teed.
Level 4 - Where To, Where and Where From
Other place words with the genitive, which change their own form for to, at and from.
Level 2 - Finishing Words (ära, läbi, valmis)
läbi also works as a particle meaning finished or all the way through.
Level 3 - Particle Verbs
üle, läbi and ümber form verbs such as üle minema, läbi lugema and ümber tegema.
Level 2 - Genitive (Owner Form)
The case of the noun after all three words.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice üle / läbi / ümber in Bubblegum
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