Present Stem Changes
The dictionary form rääkima (to speak) becomes räägin (I speak). Many common verbs change their stem like this in the present.
How It Works
Strong and weak stems. The dictionary form, the ma-infinitive, always has the strong stem. Many verbs use a weaker stem in the present. This is the same consonant gradation that changes nouns such as tuba → toas.
- A long consonant gets shorter: õppima → õpin (I learn), kukkuma → kukun (I fall).
- k, p, t become g, b, d: rääkima → räägin (I speak), saatma → saadan (I send).
- g or d disappears: tegema → teen (I do), nägema → näen (I see), hoidma → hoian (I hold). Sometimes the vowel changes too: lugema → loen (I read).
The full patterns are in Long to Short Stems and Consonants That Change or Vanish.
Which forms use the weak stem. All six present forms (räägin, räägid, räägib, räägime, räägite, räägivad), the negative (ma ei räägi) and the singular command (Räägi!). The ma-infinitive, the da-infinitive (rääkida) and the simple past (rääkisin) keep the strong stem.
Not every verb works this way. Many verbs never change: elama → elan, tulema → tulen, ootama → ootan. A smaller group keeps the strong stem in the present and weakens only in the da-infinitive: hüppama → hüppan but hüpata; hakkama → hakkan but hakata. olema and minema (lähen) are irregular; see The Verb olema (to Be).
Learn the key forms. You cannot predict the change from the ma-infinitive alone. Dictionaries such as Sõnaveeb give the present as the third-person form: rääkima, rääkida, räägib. See Key Forms of a Verb.
Examples (6)
- Ma räägin natuke eesti keelt.
I speak a little Estonian.
Word by Word: I speak a-little Estonian language.
rääkima → räägin: k softens to g.
- Ta loeb iga õhtu raamatut.
She reads a book every evening.
lugema → loeb: the g disappears and u becomes o. Ta can also mean he.
- Me õpime ülikoolis eesti keelt.
We study Estonian at university.
õppima → õpime: pp shortens to p.
- Mida sa homme teed?
What are you doing tomorrow?
tegema → teed: the g disappears.
- Ma ei näe sind.
I can't see you.
The negative also uses the weak stem: nägema → ei näe.
- Ma saadan sulle homme kirja.
I'll send you a letter tomorrow.
saatma → saadan: t softens to d.
Common Mistakes
Keeping the strong stem of rääkima in the present.
Ma rääkin eesti keelt.Ma räägin eesti keelt.rääkima belongs to the õppima group, so its present stem is räägi-: räägin, räägid, räägib.
Building the present of lugema from the dictionary form.
Ta lugeb ajalehte.Ta loeb ajalehte.The g of lugema disappears in the present and u becomes o: loen, loed, loeb.
Keeping the g of tegema.
Ma tegen süüa.Ma teen süüa.tegema has the present stem tee-: teen, teed, teeb. Süüa tegema means to cook.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Present stems change by gradation and carry personal endings.
Related Patterns
- Key Forms of a Verb
The key forms show which present stem a verb uses.
Level 2 - Negation with ei
The negative present uses the same weak stem: ei räägi.
Level 1 - Long to Short Stems
Explains shortening such as õppima → õpin.
Level 3 - Consonants That Change or Vanish
Explains consonants that vanish, such as lugema → loen.
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice Present Stem Changes in Bubblegum
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