Repeated Action (-le-)
Hüplema means to hop about, again and again. -le- turns one action into a repeated one.
How It Works
Estonian can turn a verb into a frequentative verb: one that means doing something again and again, here and there, or slowly and at leisure.
-le- joins a short stem:
- hüppama (to jump) → hüplema (to hop about)
- lendama (to fly) → lendlema (to flutter about)
- vehkima (to wave) → vehklema (to wave about; also to fence)
-skle- adds an easy, lazy or thoughtful feeling:
- lamama (to lie) → lamasklema (to lounge about)
- mõtlema (to think) → mõtisklema (to ponder)
Some of these verbs now have their own meaning, so learn them as new words: küsima → küsitlema (to interview, to question), tegema → teesklema (to pretend).
Forms. Before -da and -des, some of these verbs change shape. hüplema has hüpelda and hüpeldes, with an extra e. Check each new verb in the dictionary.
Examples (6)
- Lapsed hüplesid rõõmust.
The children hopped about with joy.
Hüppama → hüplema: many small jumps.
- Pühapäeva hommikul lamasklesin kaua voodis.
On Sunday morning I lounged in bed for a long time.
Lamama → lamasklema: lying about at leisure.
- Ta istus akna all ja mõtiskles elu üle.
He sat by the window and pondered life.
Mõtlema → mõtisklema.
- Liblikad lendlesid lillede kohal.
Butterflies fluttered above the flowers.
Lendama → lendlema: flying here and there.
- Ajakirjanik küsitles möödujaid.
The journalist interviewed passers-by.
Küsitlema now has its own meaning: to interview.
- Ta teeskles, et magab.
He pretended to be asleep.
Teesklema comes from tegema but means to pretend.
Common Mistakes
Building the da-infinitive of hüplema without the extra e.
Lastele meeldib batuudil hüplda.Lastele meeldib batuudil hüpelda.The da-infinitive of hüplema is hüpelda. Check the dictionary forms of each new frequentative verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
-le- is a verb-to-verb suffix.
Related Patterns
- Sudden Action (-ata-)
The opposite idea: one sudden, short action.
Level 5 - Self-Changing Verbs (-u-/-du-)Changes That Happen by Themselves
A verb suffix for changes that happen by themselves.
Level 4 - da-InfinitiveThe Da-Infinitive
The form that can change shape in these verbs: hüpelda.
Level 1 - Key Forms of a Verb
The key forms to learn for every new verb.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Repeated Action (-le-) in Bubblegum
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