Relative Clause with kus

Relative Clauses with Kus

Level 3

In Linn, kus ma elan, on väike, the clause kus ma elan tells which town. Use kuhu for going to a place and kust for coming from it.

How It Works

The question words kus, kuhu and kust also start relative clauses about places.

  • kus: where someone is or something happens: Linn, kus ma elan, on väike.
  • kuhu: the place someone goes to: See on kohvik, kuhu me alati läheme.
  • kust: the place someone comes from: Küla, kust mu vanaema pärit on, on Saaremaal.

The clause decides. Use the word that fits the verb inside the clause, not the noun outside it. In Me läheme kohvikusse, kus töötab mu sõber, the main verb means going into the café, but the friend works in it, so the clause uses kus.

kus or milles? mis with a place ending, such as milles, millesse or millest, means the same thing: maja, kus ~ milles me elame. kus is the more common choice, especially in speech.

After siin, seal and sinna. kus-words also follow these place words: Ma tahan elada seal, kus on palju metsa. Mine sinna, kuhu tahad.

Times. For a point in time, use mil or kui instead: päev, mil kõik muutus; sel aastal, kui me kolisime.

As with every relative clause, put commas on both sides and keep the clause right after the place noun.

Examples (6)

  1. Linn, kus ma elan, on väike ja vaikne.

    The town where I live is small and quiet.

  2. See on kohvik, kuhu me alati läheme.

    This is the café we always go to.

    Word by Word: this is café where-to we always go

    We go into the café, so the clause uses kuhu.

  3. Küla, kust mu vanaema pärit on, on Saaremaal.

    The village my grandmother comes from is on Saaremaa.

    Being from a place takes kust.

  4. Me läheme kohvikusse, kus töötab mu sõber.

    We are going to the café where my friend works.

    The main verb means into, but inside the clause the friend works in the café, so it is kus.

  5. Ma tahan elada seal, kus on palju metsa.

    I want to live somewhere with lots of forest.

    Word by Word: I want to-live there where is much forest

  6. See oli päev, mil kõik muutus.

    That was the day when everything changed.

    For a time, mil or kui is used instead of kus.

Common Mistakes

  • Using kus for a place someone goes to.

    See on kohvik, kus me alati läheme.
    See on kohvik, kuhu me alati läheme.

    minema means going somewhere, so the clause needs kuhu (where to).

  • Using kus for a place someone comes from.

    See on linn, kus ta tuli.
    See on linn, kust ta tuli.

    tulema from a place needs kust (where from).

  • Using plain mis for a place.

    Linn, mis ma elan, on väike.
    Linn, kus ma elan, on väike.

    mis in the basic form cannot mean "in which". Use kus, or the inessive milles.

How It Connects

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

Relative Clause with kusLevel 3Relative Clauses with Kus

Learn This First

kus, kuhu and kust replace mis for places.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

kuskuhukust