selline / sama

Such and Same

Level 3

Selline ilm on tore means "This kind of weather is nice." Mul on sama telefon means "I have the same phone."

How It Works

selline and niisugune both mean "such, this kind of". Selline is the most common, and niisugune is equally correct. Both are words in -ne: selline – sellise – sellist, plural sellised – selliste – selliseid.

sama means "the same". It changes like an adjective: samas majas (in the same house), samal ajal (at the same time), plural samad, partitive plural samu.

  • sama = the same one: Me elame samas majas.
  • samasugune = the same kind, alike: Mul on samasugune jope. (I have a jacket like that.)
  • seesama = this very same; both parts change: sellesama, sedasama.

For comparisons like "as big as", Estonian uses sama ... kui, which has its own lesson.

In everyday speech you will hear short forms such as siuke and sihuke for selline. Speakers also use selline to soften a description: See oli selline huvitav. (It was kind of interesting.)

Examples (6)

  1. Selline ilm on tore.

    This kind of weather is nice.

  2. Mul on sama telefon.

    I have the same phone.

  3. Ma otsin sellist kleiti.

    I'm looking for a dress like that.

    Selline takes the partitive with its noun: sellist kleiti.

  4. Niisuguseid asju juhtub tihti.

    Things like that happen often.

    Plural partitive of niisugune.

  5. Me elame samas majas.

    We live in the same house.

    Sama takes the inessive together with majas.

  6. Samal ajal helistas mu ema.

    At the same time, my mother called.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving selline and its noun in the nominative.

    Ma otsin selline kleit.
    Ma otsin sellist kleiti.

    Otsima takes a partitive object, and selline must agree with the noun.

  • Not adding the case ending to sama.

    Me elame sama majas.
    Me elame samas majas.

    Sama agrees with its noun like any adjective, so it also takes -s.

How It Connects

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

selline / samaLevel 3Such and Same

Learn This First

selline is a -ne word built from see.

Words in This Pattern

sellineniisugunesamasama