Particle Verbs
Ma saan aru means I understand. The verb saama and the small word aru work together as one verb, aru saama.
How It Works
Estonian has many particle verbs (ühendverbid): a verb plus a small word, often an adverb of place or result. Learn them as one vocabulary item.
- Direction: tagasi tulema (come back), üles tõusma (get up), välja minema (go out), sisse tulema (come in).
- Finished result: ära minema (leave), ära sööma (eat up), läbi lugema (read through).
- State: lahti tegema (open), kinni panema (close), katki minema (break).
- Fixed pairs: aru saama (understand) is so common that learners meet it on day one.
Word order. Dictionaries list the small word first: aru saama, ära minema. In a normal statement the conjugated verb takes second place and the small word moves later, often to the end: Ma saan aru. Ta tuli eile tagasi. Ta tegi akna lahti. In the infinitive the small word stays in front: Ma tahan aru saada.
Case. The particle verb as a whole decides the case of the thing it is about. aru saama takes the elative: Ma saan sellest aru (I understand it).
Do not add a small word whose meaning the verb already has. The Estonian handbook lists edasi jätkama as a redundant form; jätkama (continue) is enough.
Examples (6)
- Vabandust, ma ei saa aru.
Sorry, I don't understand.
aru saama: the small word aru comes after saa.
- Ta tuli eile tagasi.
He came back yesterday.
tagasi tulema = come back.
- Ma tõusen iga päev kell seitse üles.
I get up at seven every day.
üles moves to the end of the statement.
- Palun tee aken lahti.
Please open the window.
lahti tegema = open, literally "make open".
- Ma lugesin raamatu läbi.
I read the book through to the end.
läbi shows the reading was finished, so the object is in the genitive.
- Kas sa saad sellest aru?
Do you understand this?
aru saama takes the elative: sellest.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the dictionary order in a statement.
Ma aru saan.Ma saan aru.In a normal statement the conjugated verb comes second, right after the subject. The small word goes after it.
Using the partitive with aru saama.
Ma saan aru seda.Ma saan sellest aru.aru saama needs the elative (-st) for the thing you understand: sellest, küsimusest.
Adding a small word that repeats the verb's meaning.
Me jätkame edasi.Me jätkame.jätkama already means "go on". The handbook marks edasi jätkama as redundant.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Particle verbs add a small word to an ordinary verb.
Related Patterns
- Where the Particle Goes
A closer look at where the small word goes in questions, negatives and clauses.
Level 4 - Finishing Words (ära, läbi, valmis)
These small words show that an action is finished.
Level 3 - Fixed Verb Expressions
Fixed verb phrases work like particle verbs but with a noun or other word.
Level 4 - Verb in Second Place
The verb-second rule explains why the small word ends up after the verb.
Level 3 - Verbs That Take the Elative
aru saama is one of many verbs that take the elative.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice Particle Verbs in Bubblegum
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