If you're trying to learn Estonian Negation you will find some useful resources including a course about Negation and negative expressions... to help you with your Estonian grammar. Try to concentrate on the lesson and notice the pattern that occurs each time the word changes its place. Also don't forget to check the rest of our other lessons listed on Learn Estonian. Enjoy the rest of the lesson!
Learning the Estonian Negation is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. The more you master it the more you get closer to mastering the Estonian language. But first we need to know what the role of Negation is in the structure of the grammar in Estonian.
Estonian negation is the process that turns an affirmative statement (I am happy) into its opposite denial (I am not happy).
Grammar Tips:
Negation can be made simply by placing "ei" before the main verb in Estonian.
Ma ei tee seda (I won't do it). Ta ei taha (He/she doesn’t want).
In sentences that forbid an activity, the appropriate form of “ära” is used: Ära tee! (Don’t do! / You shouldn’t do it)), ärgu tehku! (He/she/they shouldn’t do it). The form of “ära” depends on the pronoun and cannot be used in the 1st person singular "mina/ma" (I).
With the verb “meeldima” (like) the subject takes the allative case ending in -le: Mulle see ei meeldi (I don't like it), meile see ei meeldi (We don't like it).
Here are some examples:
| English Negation | Estonian Negation |
|---|---|
| Negation | Eitus |
| he is not here | ta ei ole siin |
| that is not my book | see ei ole minu raamat |
| do not enter | ärge sisenege |
As you can see from the example above, the structure of the Negation in Estonian has a logical pattern. Locate the Negation above and see how it works with the rest of the sentence in Estonian.
In Estonian, negation can be made simply by using the word ei + stem of the verb.
Ma ei saa seda teha (I can't do this).
Neil ei ole midagi teha (they don't have anything to do).
See ei meeldi mulle (I don't like it)
Below is a list of the Negation and negative expressions in Estonian placed in a table. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your Estonian vocabulary.
| English Negation | Estonian Negation |
|---|---|
| I don't speak | Ma ei räägi |
| I don't write | Ma ei kirjuta |
| I don't drive | Ma ei sõida |
| I don't love | Ma ei armasta |
| I don't give | Ma ei anna |
| I don't smile | Ma ei naerata |
| I don't take | Ma ei võta |
| he doesn't speak | Ta ei räägi |
| he doesn't write | ta ei kirjuta |
| he doesn't drive | Ta ei juhi |
| he doesn't love | Ta ei armasta |
| he doesn't give | ta ei anna |
| he doesn't smile | ta ei naerata |
| he doesn't take | ta ei võta |
| we don't speak | me ei räägi |
| we don't write | me ei kirjuta |
| we don't drive | me ei sõida |
| we don't love | Me ei armasta |
| we don't give | me ei anna |
| we don't smile | me ei naerata |
| we don't take | me ei võta |
Negation and negative expressions have a very important role in Estonian, therefore they need very special attention. Once you're done with Estonian Negation, you might want to check the rest of our Estonian lessons here: Learn Estonian. Don't forget to bookmark this page.
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