hästi / halvasti
Well and Badly
hästi (well) and halvasti (badly) say how something happens: Mul läheb hästi. (I am doing well.)
How It Works
Adjective or adverb?
- To describe a thing or a person, use hea or halb: Kohv on hea. (The coffee is good.)
- To describe how something is done, use hästi or halvasti: Ta laulab hästi. (She sings well.)
These two adverbs are irregular. Most adverbs are made with -sti or -lt, as in kiiresti (quickly); see Adverbs with -sti and -lt.
How are you? The everyday question Kuidas läheb? (How is it going?) is answered with hästi: Mul läheb hästi. (I am doing well.) Väga hästi, aitäh! (Very well, thanks!) The person goes in the adessive, as in mul on.
Useful phrases
- Hästi! OK! Fine!
- Kõik on hästi. Everything is fine.
- Ma ei tunne end hästi. I do not feel well.
In everyday speech. hästi can also mean very before another describing word: hästi ilus (very pretty), hästi palju (very much). In careful writing, väga is the usual word for very.
Better and worse. The comparative adverbs are paremini (better) and halvemini (worse). See Comparative Adverbs.
Examples (6)
- Sa räägid eesti keelt hästi.
You speak Estonian well.
- Kuidas läheb? – Mul läheb hästi, aitäh!
How is it going? – I am doing well, thanks!
- Ta laulab halvasti, aga väga rõõmsalt.
He sings badly, but very happily.
- Ma magan halvasti.
I sleep badly.
- Hästi, lähme!
OK, let's go!
On its own, Hästi! means OK or fine.
- Ma ei tunne end täna hästi.
I do not feel well today.
Common Mistakes
Using the adjective to describe an action.
Sa räägid eesti keelt hea.Sa räägid eesti keelt hästi.hea describes a thing. To say how someone speaks, use the adverb hästi.
Translating "I am well" word for word.
Ma olen hästi.Mul läheb hästi.Estonian says how it goes for you: Mul läheb hästi. To talk about your health, say Ma tunnen end hästi.
How It Connects
Learn This First
hästi and halvasti answer kuidas.
Related Patterns
- Adverbs with -sti and -lt
How most other adverbs are made.
Level 2 - Comparative Adverbs (-mini)Comparative Adverbs
paremini and halvemini: better and worse.
Level 4 - mul onHaving (Mul on)
The adessive person, as in Mul läheb hästi.
Level 1 - olema + PredicateSaying What Something Is
Where the adjective hea is used instead: Kohv on hea.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice hästi / halvasti in Bubblegum
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