Talking About People in General

Level 4

Siin ei suitsetata means people do not smoke here. Estonian talks about people in general with the impersonal or with a general sa.

How It Works

English says one, you or people for anyone at all. Estonian has several ways to do this:

  • The impersonal. The impersonal names no doer at all: Eestis räägitakse eesti keelt. (Estonian is spoken in Estonia.) Enne sööki pestakse käsi. (You wash your hands before eating.) The negative drops -kse: Siin ei suitsetata.
  • A general sa. In everyday speech, sa can mean anyone, as English you does: Kui sa iga päev harjutad, siis õpid kiiresti.
  • A modal verb with no subject. tohtima, võima and tuleb with the da-infinitive give rules for everyone: Siin ei tohi parkida. (You may not park here.)
  • A da-infinitive subject. Eesti keelt õppida on huvitav. (Learning Estonian is interesting.)

You may also hear inimene (a person) in general statements: Inimene peab puhkama. Do not translate English one with üks. üks always means one particular person or thing.

Examples (6)

  1. Siin ei suitsetata.

    There is no smoking here.

    Word by Word: here not smoke-IMPERS

  2. Eestis räägitakse eesti keelt.

    Estonian is spoken in Estonia.

  3. Enne sööki pestakse käsi.

    You wash your hands before eating.

  4. Vigadest õpitakse.

    You learn from your mistakes.

    A general truth in the impersonal.

  5. Kui sa iga päev harjutad, siis õpid kiiresti.

    If you practise every day, you learn quickly.

    sa means anyone here, not the listener.

  6. Siin ei tohi parkida.

    You may not park here.

    The modal verb has no subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping -kse in a negative impersonal.

    Siin ei suitsetatakse.
    Siin ei suitsetata.

    After ei, the impersonal loses -kse: suitsetatakse → ei suitsetata.

  • Using üks for general one.

    Siin ei tohi üks parkida.
    Siin ei tohi parkida.

    üks means one particular person, so the wrong sentence sounds as if one certain person may not park here. For everyone, leave the subject out.

How It Connects

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Talking About People in GeneralLevel 4

Learn This First

General statements use the impersonal or a general sa.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern