Places That Take -l
Most towns and countries take -s (Tallinnas, Soomes), but work, events and some places take -l: tööl, peol, Saaremaal.
How It Works
Estonian has inner local cases (-sse/-s/-st) and outer local cases (-le/-l/-lt). Most buildings, towns and countries take the inner set: koolis, poes, Tallinnas, Soomes. Some common words take the outer set instead:
- Work and events: tööl (at work), peol (at the party), kontserdil, loengul (at the lecture), koosolekul (at the meeting).
- Open places: turul (at the market), väljakul (on the square), maal (in the countryside).
- Names ending in -maa: Saaremaal, Hiiumaal, Saksamaal, Venemaal, Prantsusmaal. Compare Austrias (in Austria) with Prantsusmaal (in France).
- Islands: usually the outer set: saarel, Kreetal. A few Estonian islands use the inner set by local custom: Muhus, Kihnus.
A place keeps its set for all three directions: Ma lähen tööle. Ma olen tööl. Ma tulen töölt. For Estonian place names there is no strict rule, so follow the usual local form: Türil but Paides. Some words allow both sets, such as tänavas ~ tänaval.
Examples (6)
- Ema on praegu tööl.
Mom is at work right now.
Töö takes the outer cases: tööle, tööl, töölt.
- Me käisime laupäeval turul.
We went to the market on Saturday.
Turg → turul.
- Kas sa olid eile peol?
Were you at the party yesterday?
- Mu vanavanemad elavad maal.
My grandparents live in the countryside.
Maal means "in the countryside", not "on the ground".
- Suvel olime Saaremaal.
In the summer we were on Saaremaa.
Names ending in -maa take the outer cases.
- Mu vend elab Saksamaal, aga õde elab Soomes.
My brother lives in Germany, but my sister lives in Finland.
Saksamaa takes -l, while Soome takes -s.
Common Mistakes
Using the inner illative with töö.
Ma lähen töösse.Ma lähen tööle.Töö uses the outer cases. "Going to work" is tööle.
Using -s with a name ending in -maa.
Ta elab Saksamaas.Ta elab Saksamaal.Place names ending in -maa take the outer cases: Saksamaale, Saksamaal, Saksamaalt.
Using -s with Saaremaa.
Me olime suvel Saaremaas.Me olime suvel Saaremaal.Saaremaa is both an island and a -maa name, so it takes -l.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Some places take the outer cases instead of the inner.
Related Patterns
- Inside vs On and At
This entry lists the places that choose the outer set.
Level 1 - Allative (-le)
The allative -le says where something goes.
Level 1 - Ablative (-lt)
The ablative -lt says where something comes from.
Level 1 - Inessive (-s)
Most towns and countries take the inner -s instead.
Level 1 - kodus / koju / kodustSpecial Home Words
Kodu is another place word with its own fixed set.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Places That Take -l in Bubblegum
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