hakkama + ma-Infinitive

Starting to (Hakkama)

Level 2

Hakkasin eesti keelt õppima means I started learning Estonian. Hakkab sadama means It is starting to rain.

How It Works

hakkama means to begin. Its forms are hakkan, hakkad, hakkab, past hakkasin, hakkas, da-infinitive hakata. The next verb is in the ma-infinitive:

  • Laps hakkas nutma. (The child started crying.)
  • Hakkab sadama. (It is starting to rain.)
  • Homme hakkan uut raamatut lugema. (Tomorrow I will start reading a new book.)

Because hakkama marks a start, the present tense often points to the future: Ma hakkan siin elama means I am going to start living here. For more on this, see the future expressions entry.

Other uses to keep apart:

  • With an event as the subject, hakkama alone means starts: Kontsert hakkab kell seitse. This is common in speech; in writing, algama is more usual: Kontsert algab kell seitse.
  • Hakkame minema! is an everyday way to say let's get going.
  • hakkama saama is a fixed phrase meaning to manage or cope: Ma saan hakkama. (I will manage.)

Examples (6)

  1. Hakkasin eesti keelt õppima.

    I started learning Estonian.

    Õppima is the ma-infinitive; the language is in the partitive, eesti keelt.

  2. Hakkab sadama.

    It is starting to rain.

    Weather verbs have no subject.

  3. Laps hakkas nutma.

    The child started crying.

  4. Homme hakkan uut raamatut lugema.

    Tomorrow I will start reading a new book.

    The present hakkan points to the future.

  5. Kontsert hakkab kell seitse.

    The concert starts at seven.

    With an event as the subject, hakkama needs no infinitive. This is everyday speech; in writing, algab is more usual.

  6. Kas sa saad üksi hakkama?

    Can you manage on your own?

    Hakkama saama is a fixed phrase meaning to manage.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the da-infinitive after hakkama.

    Hakkasin õppida.
    Hakkasin õppima.

    hakkama is one of the verbs that always takes the ma-infinitive.

  • Putting the language in the genitive after õppima.

    Hakkasin eesti keele õppima.
    Hakkasin eesti keelt õppima.

    Learning a language is an ongoing activity, so the object is in the partitive, keelt.

How It Connects

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

hakkama + ma-InfinitiveLevel 2Starting to (Hakkama)

Learn This First

hakkama takes the ma-infinitive.

Words in This Pattern

hakkamasadama-ma