Plural Genitive in -e

Level 5

Most words form the plural genitive with -de or -te: majade, raamatute. Words like õnnelik use -e instead: õnnelike inimeste (of happy people).

How It Works

Here is the whole pattern for õnnelik (happy):

  • Singular: õnnelik, õnneliku, õnnelikku
  • Plural: õnnelikud, õnnelike, õnnelikke
  • Plural cases: õnnelikes, õnnelikest, õnnelikele, õnnelikel, õnnelikeks, õnnelikega

About 1,300 words follow this pattern. Many are adjectives in -lik (ohtlik, lõplik, ettevaatlik) and nouns in -nik or -stik (kunstnik, ametnik, sõnastik).

For a word ending in -ik, a quick test is the singular partitive. If it has a double kk (kunstnikku), the plural genitive ends in -e (kunstnike). If it ends in -ut (õpikut), the word follows the ordinary pattern: õpik → õpikute, õpikutes.

The longer form with -de (õnnelikkude, õnnelikkudega) is not wrong, but it sounds old-fashioned today. Use the -e form.

A few other words keep an old -e plural genitive in fixed phrases only, for example silme ees (before one's eyes) and jalge all (under one's feet). In ordinary use they have the normal forms silmade, jalgade.

Examples (6)

  1. Õnnelike inimeste saladus on lihtne.

    The secret of happy people is simple.

    Word by Word: happy.PL.GEN people.GEN secret is simple

  2. Tuntud kunstnike tööd on näitusel.

    Works by well-known artists are on display at the exhibition.

  3. Raamat räägib ohtlikest loomadest.

    The book is about dangerous animals.

    Ohtlikest is the plural genitive ohtlike plus the elative ending -st.

  4. Ametnikel on sel nädalal palju tööd.

    The officials have a lot of work this week.

  5. Headest sõnastikest leiab palju näiteid.

    You can find many examples in good dictionaries.

  6. Kogu linn oli meie jalge all.

    The whole city lay at our feet.

    Jalge all is a fixed phrase with the old -e plural genitive of jalg.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -te to a word that takes -e.

    Ametnikute palgad tõusevad.
    Ametnike palgad tõusevad.

    Intended meaning: the officials' salaries are going up. Ametnik has the partitive ametnikku with double kk, so its plural genitive is ametnike.

  • Using -e for a word that follows the ordinary pattern.

    Õpike hinnad on kõrged.
    Õpikute hinnad on kõrged.

    Intended meaning: textbook prices are high. Õpik has the partitive õpikut, not õpikku, so it takes the ordinary -te ending: õpikute.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Plural Genitive in -eLevel 5

Learn This First

Some plural genitives end in -e.