Grammar

Locative Cases and Postpositions

All locative cases can in certain instances be replaced by postpositional expressions, especially when you want to emphasize or clarify the location of an object or the direction of a movement. The postposition is then paired with the genitive.

For example:

Pane raamat kotti (kotisse). = Pane raamat koti sisse. Put the book into the bag.

Raamat on kotis. = Raamat on koti sees. The book is in the bag.

Võta raamat kotist. Võta raamat koti seest. Take the book from the bag.

Pane raamat lauale. = Pane raamat laua peale. Put the book on(to) the table.

Raamat on laual. = Raamat on laua peal. The book is on the table.

Võta raamat laualt. = Võta raamat laua pealt. Take the book from the table.

The three outer and three inner locative cases are of course not enough to indicate all possible locations and directions. In order to express concepts such as under, beside, behind, etc., Estonian uses spatial terms following the noun (postpositions), which correspond to various English prepositions. For example: akna kõrval beside the window, laua all, under the table, diivani taga behind the sofa.

These spatial terms, which are also used as adverbs, can take on three case forms. It is thereby possible to distinguish movement toward, location at, and movement away from a given spot. (The paragraph on grammar (except examples) is adapted from „Estonian Textbook“ by Juhan Tuldava, page 100.)

Examples in figures:

Postpositions have three forms in Estonian depending on the direction in which the objects move or stand.

Ruumitähendusega postpositsioonid, mis

vastavad küsimusele KUHU? (WHERE TO?)

Postpositions that answer the question „KUHU?“ (WHERE TO?)

Ruumitähendusega postpositsioonid, mis

vastavad küsimusele KUS? (WHERE?)

Postpositions that answer the question „KUS?“ (WHERE?)

Ruumitähendusega postpositsioonid, mis

vastavad küsimusele KUST? (WHERE FROM?)

Postpositions that answer the question „KUST?“ (WHERE FROM?)

NB! You can hear the postposition ääres in this video repeatedly.

Ääres – beside, on, along, alongside

The word ääres is usually used with the words jõgi river, järv lake and meri sea.

For example:  Ma olen jõe ääres. I am by the river.

But it is also used with words to indicate objects that stretch out (tee road, laud table, sein wall etc.).

Tee ääres on suured puud. Diivan on seina ääres. Riiulid on seina ääres.

(This paragraph on grammar (except examples) is adapted from „Teach Yourself Estonian” by M. Kitsnik and L. Kingisepp, pages 251-252.)