kunagi / kuskil / kuhugi
Sometime and Somewhere
Ma pole kunagi Pariisis käinud means I have never been to Paris. Mu võtmed on kuskil siin means My keys are somewhere here.
How It Works
The ending -gi or -ki turns question words into indefinite words, just as it makes keegi and midagi.
- Time: kunagi means ever in questions (Kas sa oled kunagi hunti näinud?), once or long ago in the past (Ma elasin kunagi Tartus), and someday in the future (Kunagi lähen ma Jaapanisse). millalgi also means sometime.
- Place: they follow kus, kuhu and kust. kuskil or kusagil means somewhere; kuskile, kusagile or kuhugi means to somewhere; kuskilt or kusagilt means from somewhere. Ma elan kuskil Tallinnas. Lähme kuhugi sooja. kusagil is a little more formal than kuskil.
- Manner: kuidagi means somehow: Küll me kuidagi hakkama saame.
With a negative. Add ei to the verb to get never, nowhere or in no way: Ma pole kunagi seal käinud. Ma ei lähe kuhugi. Ta ei ole kuskil. mitte makes it stronger: Ma ei valeta mitte kunagi. This works like keegi ei and mitte midagi.
Examples (6)
- Ma pole kunagi Pariisis käinud.
I have never been to Paris.
Word by Word: I not-have ever in-Paris been
- Kas sa oled kunagi hunti näinud?
Have you ever seen a wolf?
- Mu võtmed on kuskil siin.
My keys are somewhere here.
- Lähme nädalavahetusel kuhugi sooja.
Let’s go somewhere warm at the weekend.
- Ma ei lähe täna kuhugi.
I am not going anywhere today.
kuhugi is a where-to word, so it goes with minema.
- Küll me kuidagi hakkama saame.
We will manage somehow.
Common Mistakes
Using kunagi without a negative verb when you mean never.
Ma olen kunagi Pariisis käinud.Ma pole kunagi Pariisis käinud.Without ei or pole, kunagi means once or at some time, so the first sentence says you have been to Paris.
Using the where-form for a direction.
Ma ei lähe kuskil.Ma ei lähe kuhugi.minema needs a where-to word: kuhugi, kuskile or kusagile. kuskil answers only where.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Indefinite time and place words build on question words and the -gi/-ki pattern.
Related Patterns
- keegi / midagiSomeone and Something
keegi and midagi are the matching words for someone and something.
Level 2 - keegi ei / mitte midagiNobody and Nothing
Like kunagi, keegi and midagi mean nobody and nothing with a negative verb.
Level 2 - kes tahes / mis iganesWhoever and Whatever
tahes and iganes build the -ever words, such as millal tahes (whenever).
Level 4 - Strong Negation (üldse, sugugi)Strong Negation
mitte kunagi and üldse both make a negative stronger.
Level 5
Words in This Pattern
Practice kunagi / kuskil / kuhugi in Bubblegum
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