pidi
Supposed to (Pidi)
Ta pidi eile tulema means he was supposed to come yesterday. Film pidi olema väga hea means the film is said to be very good.
How It Works
pidi is the past tense of pidama, and like pidama it is always followed by the ma-infinitive. It has several meanings:
- had to: Ta pidi kaua ootama. (She had to wait a long time.)
- was supposed to, was planned: Ta pidi eile tulema, aga ei tulnud. (He was supposed to come yesterday, but he did not.) Buss pidi kell kaheksa väljuma.
- is said to (hearsay): Film pidi olema väga hea. (The film is supposed to be very good.) Homme pidi sadama. (It is supposed to rain tomorrow.) Here pidi is past in form, but the information is about now or later. This meaning is mostly used with pidi in the third person.
- almost: Ma pidin kukkuma! (I almost fell!) This meaning appears only in the past and with things that happen by accident. The event did not happen.
The hearsay pidi is common in everyday speech. A more formal way to pass on hearsay is the quotative -vat form: Film olevat väga hea.
Do not mix this up with the present peab olema, which means must be as a conclusion of your own: See peab olema tema auto. (This must be his car.) The negative ei pidanud usually means did not have to or was not supposed to.
Examples (6)
- Ta pidi eile tulema, aga ei tulnud.
He was supposed to come yesterday, but he did not.
Word by Word: he had-to yesterday come-MA, but not came
- Film pidi olema väga hea.
The film is supposed to be very good.
Hearsay: the speaker has heard this from others.
- Homme pidi sadama.
It is supposed to rain tomorrow.
Past form, future meaning: someone, for example a forecast, said so.
- Seal pidi olema ilus rand.
There is supposed to be a beautiful beach there.
- Buss pidi kell kaheksa väljuma, aga hilines.
The bus was supposed to leave at eight, but it was late.
- Ma pidin kukkuma!
I almost fell!
With an accident verb, pidin means almost, and the fall did not happen.
Common Mistakes
Using the da-infinitive after pidi.
Ta pidi eile tulla.Ta pidi eile tulema.In all these meanings, pidama takes the ma-infinitive: tulema, not tulla.
Using the present peab to pass on hearsay.
Film peab olema väga hea.Film pidi olema väga hea.If you want to say the film is said to be good, the first sentence says something else: peab olema means must be, as your own conclusion. For hearsay, use pidi or olevat.
How It Connects
Learn This First
pidi is the past of pidama in a special sense.
Related Patterns
- Reported Mood (-vat)
The formal way to pass on hearsay: Ta olevat haige.
Level 4 - Reporting What Someone Said
Other ways to report what someone said.
Level 4 - ma-InfinitiveThe Ma-Infinitive (Dictionary Form)
The form that always follows pidi.
Level 1 - peaks / võiksShould and Could
The conditional of pidama, for should.
Level 3 - oleks pidanud / oleks võinudShould Have and Could Have
Should have: a missed obligation in the past.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice pidi in Bubblegum
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