Remembering and Forgetting
Mul on see meeles means I remember it. Mul läks tema nimi meelest means I forgot his name.
How It Works
Estonian often says what happens to a person instead of what the person does. The person goes in the adessive -l: mul, sul, tal, meil, teil, neil, Maril.
Memory with meel (mind). The three inner local forms of meel tell the story:
- meeles (in the mind): Mul on see meeles. I remember it.
- meelde (into the mind): Mul tuli meelde. I remembered. Jäta see meelde! Remember this!
- meelest (out of the mind): Mul läks see meelest ära. I forgot it. ära can be left out.
Other common phrases: Mul on kahju (I am sorry). Mul on temast kahju (I feel sorry for him). Kuidas sul läheb? Mul läheb hästi (I am doing well). Mul on hea meel (I am glad). These work like mul on külm.
The verb does not change for the person: mul on, meil on, mul läheb. It agrees with the thing that is remembered or forgotten, so a plural thing takes a plural verb: Mul läksid kõik nimed meelest ära. For the negative, use ei: Mul ei tule meelde. Mul pole meeles. You can also say it with the person as the subject, using mäletama (remember) and unustama (forget): Ma mäletan. Ma unustasin.
Examples (6)
- Mul on see päev hästi meeles.
I remember that day well.
Word by Word: at-me is that day well in-mind
- Mul läks tema nimi meelest ära.
I forgot his name.
Word by Word: at-me went his name out-of-mind away
- Nüüd tuli mul meelde!
Now I remember!
meelde tulema means to come to mind.
- Mul on väga kahju, et nii läks.
I am very sorry that things turned out this way.
- Kuidas sul läheb? – Mul läheb hästi.
How are you? – I am doing well.
- Meil on hea meel sind näha.
We are glad to see you.
Common Mistakes
Making the person the subject of the phrase.
Ma olen kahju.Mul on kahju.In this phrase the person goes in the adessive: mul on kahju.
Changing the verb to match the person.
Mul lähen hästi.Mul läheb hästi.The person is in the adessive, not the subject, so the verb does not change for the person: mul läheb.
Using meeles with jätma.
Jäta see meeles!Jäta see meelde!jätma puts something into your mind, so it takes the into-form meelde. meeles is for what is already there.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Set phrases put the person in the adessive, like mul on külm.
Related Patterns
- mul onHaving (Mul on)
mul on is the basic adessive + on pattern behind these phrases.
Level 1 - Adessive (-l)
The person in these phrases is in the adessive case.
Level 1 - meeldimaLiking (Mulle Meeldib)
meeldima is another verb where the person is not the subject.
Level 1 - on vajaNeeding (On Vaja)
mul on vaja also puts the person in the adessive.
Level 2 - Inside vs On and At
meeles, meelde and meelest are the in, into and out of forms of meel.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice Remembering and Forgetting in Bubblegum
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