Words Before a Partitive (vastu, mööda)
Words Before a Partitive
Mööda teed means along the road, and vastu seina means against the wall. The noun after these words is in the partitive.
How It Works
Most Estonian position words come after a noun in the genitive (see postpositions). A small group comes before the noun, and the noun is in the partitive:
- vastu – against, into: vastu seina, vastu tuult (against the wind)
- mööda – along, over a surface: mööda teed, mööda randa
- keset – in the middle of: keset linna, keset ööd (in the middle of the night)
- piki – along, lengthwise: piki jõge
Either side. vastu and mööda can also follow the partitive: vastu seina ~ seina vastu, mööda teed ~ teed mööda.
Other meanings. After a genitive, vastu means against or towards in a figurative sense: Ma olen selle plaani vastu. (I am against this plan.) Ta oli minu vastu lahke. (She was kind to me.) mööda after the elative means past: Buss sõitis meist mööda. (The bus drove past us.)
Similar words. enne and pärast also take the partitive when they come first: enne lõunat. But üle and läbi take the genitive: üle tee.
Examples (6)
- Pane redel vastu seina.
Put the ladder against the wall.
Word by Word: put ladder against wall-PART
- Rattur sõitis vastu tuult.
The cyclist rode against the wind.
tuul (wind) has the partitive tuult.
- Me jalutasime mööda randa.
We walked along the beach.
rand (beach) has the partitive randa.
- Keset linna on suur park.
There is a big park in the middle of town.
- Keset ööd helises telefon.
In the middle of the night the phone rang.
keset also works for time.
- Jalgrattatee kulgeb piki jõge.
The cycle path runs along the river.
jõgi (river) has the partitive jõge.
Common Mistakes
Using the genitive after mööda.
Me kõndisime mööda tee.Me kõndisime mööda teed.mööda takes the partitive: teed, not tee. The genitive tee goes with üle: üle tee (across the road).
Using the genitive after vastu when it comes first.
Rattur sõitis vastu tuule.Rattur sõitis vastu tuult.When vastu comes first, the noun is in the partitive: vastu tuult. A genitive goes with vastu only when it stands before vastu, in the figurative sense of against or towards: selle plaani vastu (against this plan).
How It Connects
Learn This First
A few position words come before a partitive.
Related Patterns
- Place Words After the Noun
Most position words follow a genitive instead.
Level 2 - enne / pärastBefore and After (Enne, Pärast)
enne and pärast also take the partitive when they come first.
Level 2 - Where To, Where and Where From
Other place words, which change for to, at and from.
Level 2 - tänu / vaatamata / võrreldesWords That Govern a Case
Other front words that need a set case.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice Words Before a Partitive (vastu, mööda) in Bubblegum
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