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Reference

Word order

Freer than English, but not a free-for-all. The order carries the emphasis.

All grammar
Called
sõnajärg
word order in an English grammar book

What it is for

  • Endings show who did what, so the order is free to show emphasis

    • Talvel sadas palju lund.

      It snowed a lot in the winter.

  • The verb usually comes second

    • Homme alustan dieeti.

      I am starting a diet tomorrow.

Practice these in the app, on words you are learning, with every answer marked. Sign in, it’s free

  • Õhtul kütan sauna.

    I am heating the sauna in the evening.

  • The new or important bit usually goes last

    • Watch out

    Because almost any order is grammatical, you can write sentences that are correct but put the weight in the wrong place. It's a C1 skill, not a rule to memorize.

    Where the course teaches it

    11 units
    • And, but, too, very, here and now, and don'tA1Say and, but, too and very, and talk about here, now and today.
    • Who, what, where, when, why, howA1Ask who, what, where, when, why and how, and understand the question when someone asks you.
    • Joining two thoughtsA1Join two ideas, say why, and put one thing against another.
    • How much, how often, how farA1Say how much of something there is, and how strongly you mean it.
    • Kinni, lahti, väljaA1Change what a verb means with the little word after it.
    • Kiiresti, umbes, peaaeguA1Say how something happened, and give a rough number when you don't know the exact one.
    • How much you mean itA2Say how much you mean something: partly, fully, enough, not at all, more and more.
    • Persuading peopleC1Give a persuasive talk and spot the tricks being used on you.
    • Formal, neutral, familiarC1Say the same thing three ways and pick the right one for the room.
    • Holding a text togetherC1Signpost a long text so a reader never loses the thread.
    • Reading literatureC1Read an Estonian novel and talk about how it's written as well as what happens.

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