Overview of noun cases in the Estonian language

The Estonian language has a feature known as grammatical cases. In English, they only exist for pronouns ("I", "me" and "my" are all different forms of the word "I"), but in many languages, such as Latin, Russian, Hungarian and Icelandic, all nouns can occur in various forms according to the context. The process of a word's ground form changing into various cases is scientifically referred to as declination.

 
The examples below are meant to give you some idea as to the purpose of grammatical cases in Estonian. I chose the words "punane redel" ("red ladder") as my primary example because I think their declination is very typical. I added three additional examples – "huvitav raamat" ("interesting book"), "teine karu" ("other/another/second bear") and "pikk mees" ("tall man") – to demonstrate how different words can be declined in quite different ways, while still subject to the same general principles.

 
In all my sample phrases, an adjective is followed by a noun, but actually it would make no difference if the adjective would stand alone. All nouns, adjectives, numerals and pronouns are declined in exactly the same way, with extremely few (unsurprising) exceptions - for instance, the plural of "tema" (he, she) is "nemad" (they), not "temad" ("hes", "shes").

I also added the word "see" (=this=that=it; not an article – there are none in Estonian) to each sample phrase. In grammar books, cases are usually associated with questions, but I think the word "this" is much more helpful for recognizing and remembering which case is which.

 
Although Estonian has as many as 14 cases, there is no need to memorise them all. If you know the cases 1 to 5, you can deduct the cases 6 to 14 – without exceptions. (That's why some linguists argue that the latter ones aren't actually "real" cases.) If you know as little as the 2nd and the 3rd case singular, you can't go very wrong (meaning so wrong that you wouldn't be understood) with the others. The first three singular cases, though, you better memorise: punane-punase-punast, redel-redeli-redelit, huvitav-huvitava-huvitavat, raamat-raamatu-raamatut, teine-teise-teist, karu-karu-karu, pikk-pika-pikka, mees-mehe-meest. You should learn every word like that. Over time, you'll begin to recognize similarities and learn to intuitively decline the words correctly. And don't forget that when you get it slightly wrong, you will still be understood most of the time. Another thing you might find comforting is that some cases of some words remain difficult even for the Estonians themselves. Even I have to occasionally look up a word whose declination is complicated.

 

CASE 1

Nominative
nimetav kääne

 

(see) punane redel		(need) punased redelid
(see) huvitav raamat		(need) huvitavad raamatud
(see) teine karu		(need) teised karud
(see) pikk mees		(need) pikad mehed

See on punane redel. = This is a red ladder.

Mul on punane redel. = I have a red ladder.

Mulle meeldib teine karu. = I like the other bear.

Pikk mees kõnnib mööda teed. = A tall man is walking along the road.

 

CASE 2

Genitive
omastav kääne

 

(selle) punase redeli		(nende) punaste redelite
(selle) huvitava raamatu		(nende) huvitavate raamatute
(selle) teise karu		(nende) teiste karude
(selle) pika mehe		(nende) pikkade meeste

Ma teen punase redeli. = I am going to make a red ladder.

Ma tahan osta punase redeli. = I want to buy a red ladder.

Kirjanik kirjutas huvitava raamatu. = The writer wrote an interesting book.

Karu jooksis teise karu eest ära. = The bear ran away from another bear.

 

CASE 3

Partitive
osastav kääne

 

(seda) punast redelit		(neid) punaseid redeleid
(seda) huvitavat raamatut		(neid) huvitavaid raamatuid
(seda) teist karu		(neid) teisi karusid
(seda) pikka meest		(neid) pikki mehi

Ma teen punast redelit. = I am making a red ladder.

Mul ei ole punast redelit. = I don't have a red ladder.

Mul on kaks punast redelit. = I have two red ladders.

Ma tahaksin lugeda mõnda huvitavat raamatut. = I would like to read an interesting book.

 

CASE 4

Illative
sisseütlev kääne

 

(sellesse) punasesse redelisse		(nendesse) punastesse redelitesse
(sellesse) huvitavasse raamatusse		(nendesse) huvitavatesse raamatutesse
(sellesse) teise karusse		(nendesse) teistesse karudesse
(sellesse) pikasse mehesse		(nendesse) pikkadesse meestesse

Sipelgas ronis punasesse redelisse. = An ant crawled into the red ladder.

Ma olin täiesti süvenenud huvitavasse raamatusse. = I was fully absorbed in an interesting book.

Karu oli teise karusse väga kiindunud. = The bear was very fond of another bear.

Sellesse pikasse mehesse mahub vist palju toitu. = I guess a lot of food will fit into that tall man.

 

CASE 5

Inessive
seesütlev kääne

 

(selles) punases redelis		(nendes) punastes redelites
(selles) huvitavas raamatus		(nendes) huvitavates raamatutes
(selles) teises karus		(nendes) teistes karudes
(selles) pikas mehes		(nendes) pikkades meestes

Viga on punases redelis. = The problem/fault is with the red ladder.

Punases redelis elavad sipelgad. = There are ants living in the red ladder.

Selles huvitavas raamatus on eri autorite artikleid. = There are articles by various authors in this interesting book.

Selles pikas mehes oli palju salapärast. = Much about this tall man was mysterious.

 

CASE 6

Elative
seestütlev kääne

 

(sellest) punasest redelist		(nendest) punastest redelitest
(sellest) huvitavast raamatust		(nendest) huvitavatest raamatutest
(sellest) teisest karust		(nendest) teistest karudest
(sellest) pikast mehest		(nendest) pikkadest meestest

Ma unistan punasest redelist. = I dream about a red ladder.

Ma ei saa sellest punasest redelist kuidagi lahti. = I can't get get rid of this red ladder.

Sellest huvitavast raamatust õppisin ma palju kasulikku. = I learned many useful things from this interesting book.

Ma ei saa sellest pikast mehest jagu. = I can't overpower that tall man.

 

CASE 7

Allative
alaleütlev kääne

 

(sellele) punasele redelile		(nendele) punastele redelitele
(sellele) huvitavale raamatule		(nendele) huvitavatele raamatutele
(sellele) teisele karule		(nendele) teistele karudele
(sellele) pikale mehele		(nendele) pikkadele meestele

Punasele redelile oleks vaja parem koht leida. = We should find a better place for the red ladder.
Mul paljuti ühele huvitavale raamatule eessõna kirjutada. = I was asked to write a foreword for an interesting book.

Anna ka teisele karule süüa. = Give the other bear some food, too.

Ma jooksin pikale mehele järele. = I ran after the tall man.

 

CASE 8

Adessive
alalütlev kääne

 

(sellel) punasel redelil		(nendel) punastel redelitel
(sellel) huvitaval raamatul		(nendel) huvitavatel raamatutel
(sellel) teisel karul		(nendel) teistel karudel
(sellel) pikal mehel		(nendel) pikkadel meestel

Ma seisan punasel redelil. = I am standing on a red ladder.

Sellel huvitaval raamatul on palju lugejaid. = This interesting book has many readers.

Sellel teisel karul on täna midagi viga. = There is something wrong with that other bear today.

Pikal mehel oli jalas kaks eri värvi kinga. = The tall man was wearing two shoes of different colours.

 

CASE 9

Ablative
alaltütlev kääne

 

(sellelt) punaselt redelilt		(nendelt) punastelt redelitelt
(sellelt) huvitavalt raamatult		(nendelt) huvitavatelt raamatutelt
(sellelt) teiselt karult		(nendelt) teistelt karudelt
(sellelt) pikalt mehelt		(nendelt) pikkadelt meestelt

Ma kukkusin punaselt redelilt alla. = I fell down from a red ladder.

Karu sai teiselt karult hammustada. = A bear was bitten by another bear.

Sellelt pikalt mehelt ei maksa midagi head oodata. = There is nothing good to be expected from that tall man.

Pikalt mehelt varastati rahakott. = The tall man got his wallet stolen.

 

CASE 10

Translative
saav kääne

 

(selleks) punaseks redeliks		(nendeks) punasteks redeliteks
(selleks) huvitavaks raamatuks		(nendeks) huvitavateks raamatuteks
(selleks) teiseks karuks		(nendeks) teisteks karudeks
(selleks) pikaks meheks		(nendeks) pikkadeks meesteks

Võlur muutis poisi punaseks redeliks. = The wizard turned the boy into a red ladder.

See pooleli käsikiri saab peagi huvitavaks raamatuks. = This unfinished manuscript will soon become an interesting book.

Tundub, et karu peab sind teiseks karuks. = It seems like the bear is holding you for another bear.
Väike poiss kasvas pikaks meheks. = The little boy grew into a tall man.

 

CASE 11

Terminative
rajav kääne

 

(selle) punase redelini		(nende) punaste redeliteni
(selle) huvitava raamatuni		(nende) huvitavate raamatuteni
(selle) teise karuni		(nende) teiste karudeni
(selle) pika meheni		(nende) pikkade meesteni

Ma ei jõudnud punase redelini joosta. = I didn't have the strength to run all the way to the red ladder.
Mul läks tööasjadega nii kaua aega, et selle huvitava raamatuni ma ei jõudnudki. = The work took me so long that I never got to this interesting book.

Jookseme esimesest karust teise karuni ja tagasi! = Let's run from the first bear to the second one and back!

Järjekord on nii pikk, et selle pika meheni läheb veel kaua aega. = The cue is so long that it'll take long until (they get to) that tall man.

 

CASE 12

Essive
olev kääne

 

(selle) punase redelina		(nende) punaste redelitena
(selle) huvitava raamatuna		(nende) huvitavate raamatutena
(selle) teise karuna		(nende) teiste karudena
(selle) pika mehena		(nende) pikkade meestena

See puu jätkab oma elu punase redelina. = This tree will continue its life as a red ladder.

Sa võid kasutada punase redelina seda. = You can use this as a red ladder.

Mulle tundub, et huvitava raamatuna oleks see film veelgi nauditavam. = It seems to me that this movie would be even more enjoyable as an interesting book.

Pika mehena on raske elada, sest voodid kipuvad lühikeseks jääma. = It is difficult to live as a tall man because beds tend to be too short.

 

CASE 13

Abessive
ilmaütlev kääne

 

(selle) punase redelita		(nende) punaste redeliteta
(selle) huvitava raamatuta		(nende) huvitavate raamatuteta
(selle) teise karuta		(nende) teiste karudeta
(selle) pika meheta		(nende) pikkade meesteta

Ma pean ajama läbi ilma punase redelita. = I'll have to do without the red ladder.

Ma ei tahaks minna reisile huvitava raamatuta. = I wouldn't want to go to a trip without an interesting book.

Karul on kurb elada ilma teise karuta. = It is sad for a bear to live without another bear.

Me ei saa selle tööga hakkama ilma väga pika meheta. = We can't handle this job without a very tall man.

 

CASE 14

Comitative
kaasaütlev kääne

 

(selle) punase redeliga		(nende) punaste redelitega
(selle) huvitava raamatuga		(nende) huvitavate raamatutega
(selle) teise karuga		(nende) teiste karudega
(selle) pika mehega		(nende) pikkade meestega

Seal kõnnib töömees punase redeliga. = There walks a worker with a red ladder.

Huvitava raamatuga läheb aeg kiiresti. = With an interesting book, the time passes quickly.

Karu sai teise karuga kiiresti sõbraks. = The bear quickly got friends with the other bear.

Seal jalutab üks naine koos pika mehega. = A woman promenades there along with a tall man.

 

You are encouraged to correct my English, as long as it's your native language. Retarded Brazilian smartasses are, however, respectfully requested to refrain from enlightening me as to their rather erroneous ideas about English grammar.