Whole Object in the Nominative

Level 3

Compare Ma ostsin leiva (genitive) with Osta leib! (nominative). In a command, the whole object takes its basic form.

How It Works

A total object (a whole thing affected by a finished action) is normally in the genitive: Ma ostsin leiva. In some sentences it is in the nominative instead.

When to use the nominative:

  • Commands: Osta leib! Pane uks kinni! Kirjutage oma nimi siia.
  • Impersonal verbs (-takse, -ti): Leib osteti ära. Uus sild avati eile.
  • Sentences with no subject, such as tuleb or on vaja with a da-infinitive: Tuleb kirjutada kiri. Meil tuleb laud ära koristada. Mul on vaja osta uus telefon.

The idea: when there is no subject, the whole object takes the basic form a subject would have. Plural whole objects are nominative in every sentence anyway: Ostsin raamatud.

What does not change. A partial object stays partitive: Osta leiba! (Buy some bread!) A negative sentence also takes the partitive: Ära osta leiba! Personal pronouns use the partitive for every object: Vii mind koju!

Let's forms keep the genitive. teeme and lähme are really present-tense forms with a subject, so a whole object stays genitive: Teeme vaheaja! (Let's take a break!) Compare the plural command: Tehke vaheaeg!

Examples (6)

  1. Osta poest leib ja piim!

    Buy a loaf of bread and a carton of milk at the shop!

    A command, so leib and piim are nominative.

  2. Pane uks kinni, palun.

    Close the door, please.

  3. Uus sild avati eile.

    The new bridge was opened yesterday.

    avati is impersonal, so the whole object uus sild is nominative.

  4. Meil tuleb laud ära koristada.

    We have to clear the table.

    tuleb has no subject, so laud is nominative.

  5. Mul on vaja osta uus telefon.

    I need to buy a new phone.

  6. Kirjutage oma nimi siia.

    Write your name here.

    The plural or polite command works the same way.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the genitive in a command.

    Osta leiva!
    Osta leib!

    In a command, a whole singular object takes the nominative.

  • Using the genitive with an impersonal verb.

    Uue silla avati eile.
    Uus sild avati eile.

    avati has no subject, so the whole object is nominative.

  • Using the nominative with a let's form.

    Teeme vaheaeg!
    Teeme vaheaja!

    teeme is a present-tense form with a subject, so the whole object stays genitive.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Whole Object in the NominativeLevel 3

Learn This First

A whole object is nominative after commands, impersonals and tuleb.

Words in This Pattern

tulema