kui
When and if (Kui)
Kui ma koju jõuan, helistan sulle. (When I get home, I'll call you.) Kui sajab, jään koju. (If it rains, I'll stay home.)
How It Works
1. kui as when
- Kui ma olin laps, elasime maal. (When I was a child, we lived in the countryside.)
- Kui ma hommikul ärkan, joon kõigepealt kohvi. (When I wake up in the morning, I first drink coffee.)
2. kui as if
- Kui sajab, jään koju. (If it rains, I'll stay home.)
- Helista mulle, kui sul on aega. (Call me if you have time.)
3. Future with the present tense
Estonian has no separate future tense, so both clauses are in the present: Kui ma koju jõuan, helistan sulle.
4. Order and comma
The kui clause can come first or second, and a comma always separates it. When it comes first, the main clause often starts with the verb (jään koju) or with siis.
5. kui is not a question word
For the question when?, use millal: Millal sa tuled? For whether in a reported question, use kas. For imagined situations like if I were rich, kui takes the conditional; see kui + conditional.
Examples (6)
- Kui ma koju jõuan, helistan sulle.
When I get home, I'll call you.
Word by Word: when I home reach, call you-to
- Kui sajab, jään koju.
If it rains, I'll stay home.
Word by Word: if rains, stay home
- Kui ma olin laps, elasime maal.
When I was a child, we lived in the countryside.
Word by Word: when I was child, lived countryside-on
- Helista mulle, kui sul on aega.
Call me if you have time.
Word by Word: call me-to if you-at is time(PART)
- Kui sa tahad, võime koos minna.
If you want, we can go together.
Word by Word: if you want, can together go
- Kui ma hommikul ärkan, joon kõigepealt kohvi.
When I wake up in the morning, I drink coffee first.
Word by Word: when I morning-at wake, drink first coffee(PART)
With a repeated event, kui means whenever.
Common Mistakes
Using the question word millal to start a when clause.
Millal ma koju jõuan, helistan sulle.Kui ma koju jõuan, helistan sulle.millal asks when?. A clause that tells when something happens starts with kui.
Using kas for if.
Kas sajab, jään koju.Kui sajab, jään koju.kas asks a yes-no question or means whether. A condition starts with kui.
Leaving out the comma before or after the kui clause.
Helista mulle kui sul on aega.Helista mulle, kui sul on aega.A kui clause with a verb is separated by a comma.
How It Connects
Learn This First
kui clauses are built on ordinary present-tense sentences.
Related Patterns
- kui ... siisIf ..., Then (Kui ... Siis)
siis often opens the main clause after a kui clause.
Level 2 - millalWhen (Millal)
millal is the question word; kui joins clauses.
Level 1 - kui + ConditionalUnreal Conditions
Unreal conditions use kui with the conditional mood.
Level 3 - The Many Meanings of kui
kui also means than and how.
Level 4 - Comparing with kui
The same word means than in comparisons.
Level 2
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice kui in Bubblegum
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