Verb in Second Place
Ma käisin eile kinos becomes Eile käisin ma kinos when eile moves to the front. The verb käisin stays in second place.
How It Works
In a positive statement, count the parts: the conjugated verb is usually second.
- Subject first: Mari tuleb homme.
- Time first: Homme tuleb Mari.
- Place first: Suvel elab mu vanaema maal.
- A whole clause first: Kui saabub kevad, muutub meeleolu paremaks.
When the subject starts the sentence, the verb must come straight after it. The Estonian handbook gives Ma sõidan täna maale, not Ma täna sõidan maale, and Mul on kõht tühi, not Mul kõht on tühi.
With a fronted word, verb-second order is the usual choice, especially with long subjects and in writing. With a short, unstressed pronoun, speakers also say Eile ma käisin kinos, and that is fine.
The rule is about positive statements. Questions, negative sentences and subordinate clauses often have the verb elsewhere: Kus sa elad? Täna ma ei tule.
Examples (6)
- Eile käisin ma kinos.
I went to the cinema yesterday.
Word by Word: yesterday went I cinema-in
eile is first, so the verb käisin comes before ma.
- Homme tuleb Mari.
Mari is coming tomorrow.
The subject Mari moves after the verb.
- Suvel elab mu vanaema maal.
In summer my grandma lives in the countryside.
A longer subject especially likes to follow the verb.
- Hommikust saadik on mul kõht tühi.
I've been hungry since this morning.
The time phrase is first, so on comes second.
- Täna õhtul läheme teatrisse.
We're going to the theatre tonight.
With no subject word, the verb still comes second.
- „Kas see on tõsi?” küsis Rein.
"Is that true?" Rein asked.
After a quotation, the verb comes before the speaker.
Common Mistakes
Putting a time word between the subject and the verb.
Ma täna sõidan maale.Ma sõidan täna maale.When the subject comes first, the verb follows it straight away. Put täna after the verb.
Putting the possessed thing between mul and the verb.
Mul kõht on tühi.Mul on kõht tühi.In a "have" sentence, mul is the starting point, so on must come second.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Verb second extends basic word order.
Related Patterns
- Moving Words for Emphasis
Moving words to the front or end to highlight them.
Level 4 - Verb Last in a Subordinate Clause
Subordinate clauses may put the verb last instead.
Level 4 - Where the Particle Goes
Verb-second order is why particles like ära move to the end.
Level 4 - Leaving Out ma and saLeaving Out the Pronoun
Without a subject word, the verb can start the sentence: Tulen homme.
Level 2
Practice Verb in Second Place in Bubblegum
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