Whole Plural Object

Level 2

When a finished action affects all of certain things, the object is in the nominative plural with -d: Ma ostsin raamatud. (I bought the books.) For just some, use the partitive plural: Ma ostsin raamatuid. (I bought some books.)

How It Works

Singular and plural side by side

  • Whole, singular: Ma ostsin raamatu. (I bought the book.)
  • Whole, plural: Ma ostsin raamatud. (I bought the books, all the ones we mean.)
  • Some, plural: Ma ostsin raamatuid. (I bought some books.)

The difference between raamatud and raamatuid is often like English "the books" versus "books". The nominative says that you mean a whole, known group. The plural partitive leaves the amount open.

The partitive still wins when

  • the sentence is negative: Ma ei ostnud raamatuid. (I didn't buy the books.)
  • the action is still going on: Ta pesi nõusid. (She was washing the dishes.) Compare Ta pesi nõud ära. (She washed the dishes.)
  • the verb always takes the partitive: Ma armastan lilli. (I love flowers.)

Good to know

  • Adjectives agree: Me müüsime vanad toolid maha. (We sold the old chairs.)
  • The object and the subject can both end in -d. Word order and meaning show which is which: Lapsed sõid kommid ära. (The children ate up the sweets.)
  • With a number, the number itself carries the case: Ma ostsin kaks raamatut. (I bought two books.) See counting with the partitive.

Examples (6)

  1. Ma ostsin raamatud.

    I bought the books.

    Word by Word: I bought books(NOM.PL)

    All the books we are talking about were bought.

  2. Ma ostsin raamatuid.

    I bought some books.

    Word by Word: I bought books(PART.PL)

    The partitive plural leaves the number of books open.

  3. Ta pesi nõud ära.

    She washed the dishes.

    Word by Word: she washed dishes(NOM.PL) away

  4. Lapsed sõid kommid ära.

    The children ate up the sweets.

    Word by Word: children ate sweets(NOM.PL) away

  5. Me müüsime vanad toolid maha.

    We sold the old chairs.

    Word by Word: we sold old(NOM.PL) chairs(NOM.PL) down

  6. Ma leidsin oma võtmed.

    I found my keys.

    Word by Word: I found own keys(NOM.PL)

Common Mistakes

  • Using the genitive plural for a whole plural object.

    Ma ostsin raamatute.
    Ma ostsin raamatud.

    Only the singular whole object looks like the genitive. In the plural, the whole object uses the nominative plural with -d.

  • Keeping the nominative plural in a negative sentence.

    Ma ei ostnud raamatud.
    Ma ei ostnud raamatuid.

    Negation always makes the object partitive, so the plural becomes raamatuid.

How It Connects

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Whole Plural ObjectLevel 2

Learn This First

A whole plural object is the plural counterpart of the genitive object.

Words in This Pattern

-d