Times of Day with -l

Level 2

Hommikul means in the morning and õhtul means in the evening. At night is the special form öösel.

How It Works

To say when in the day something happens, use the adessive -l:

  • hommik → hommikul (in the morning)
  • päev → päeval (during the day)
  • lõuna → lõunal (at lunchtime, around noon)
  • õhtu → õhtul (in the evening)
  • öö → öösel (at night) – irregular

Today, yesterday, tomorrow. Put the day word in front: täna hommikul (this morning), täna õhtul (tonight, this evening), eile õhtul (last night, yesterday evening), eile öösel (last night, during the night), homme hommikul (tomorrow morning).

With a weekday, the weekday goes in the genitive: laupäeva õhtul (on Saturday evening), pühapäeva hommikul (on Sunday morning).

With a clock time, the part of the day comes after: kell seitse hommikul (at seven in the morning), kell kaks öösel (at two in the night).

With a describing word, night usually still uses öösel: igal öösel (every night), eelmisel öösel (the night before). The case form ööl is also correct there (eelmisel ööl) and appears in set phrases such as ööl vastu laupäeva (on the night before Saturday). On its own, at night is always öösel.

Habits. The forms hommikuti, õhtuti and öösiti mean "in the mornings", "in the evenings" and "at nights".

Per day. "Three times a day" uses the inessive: kolm korda päevas. Päeval means "in the daytime".

Examples (6)

  1. Ma töötan õhtul ja magan päeval.

    I work in the evening and sleep during the day.

  2. Täna hommikul sadas vihma.

    It rained this morning.

  3. Eile õhtul käisime kinos.

    Yesterday evening we went to the cinema.

  4. Öösel oli väga külm.

    It was very cold at night.

    Öö has the irregular form öösel.

  5. Rong väljub kell kuus hommikul.

    The train leaves at six in the morning.

  6. Laupäeva õhtul tulevad sõbrad külla.

    Friends are coming over on Saturday evening.

    The weekday is in the genitive: laupäeva.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the case form ööl on its own for "at night".

    Ma ärkasin ööl üles.
    Ma ärkasin öösel üles.

    On its own, at night is öösel. The form ööl needs a describing word or a set phrase: eelmisel ööl, ööl vastu laupäeva.

  • Using the inessive for a part of the day.

    Ma joon hommikus kohvi.
    Ma joon hommikul kohvi.

    Parts of the day take the adessive -l: hommikul, õhtul.

  • Using päeval when you mean "per day".

    Ma söön kolm korda päeval.
    Ma söön kolm korda päevas.

    Kolm korda päeval would mean three times in the daytime. "Per day" uses the inessive: päevas.

How It Connects

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Times of Day with -lLevel 2

Learn This First

Parts of the day take the adessive.

Words in This Pattern

ööselpäevõhtu