A1 · Tegusõna olevik
Present-tense conjugation
Personal endings, useful verbs and negative sentences.
1. Present tense · Olevik
The present tense describes what you do regularly or what is happening now. The verb changes with the person.
Ma õpin eesti keelt. — I study / I am studying Estonian.
Learn the ma-form and the present-tense stem together. For many verbs, remove -ma: elama → ela-. Some stems change: õppima → õpi-, lugema → loe-. Do not simply remove -ma from every verb.
2. Six people, six endings
| Person | Ending | õppima | elama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ma | -n | õpin | elan |
| Sa | -d | õpid | elad |
| Ta | -b | õpib | elab |
| Me | -me | õpime | elame |
| Te | -te | õpite | elate |
| Nad | -vad | õpivad | elavad |
-n · -d · -b · -me · -te · -vad. Add the ending to the present-tense stem.
3. Useful verbs
| Dictionary form | Present stem | I… | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| õppima | õpi- | õpin | study |
| rääkima | räägi- | räägin | speak |
| elama | ela- | elan | live |
| töötama | tööta- | töötan | work |
| mängima | mängi- | mängin | play |
| vaatama | vaata- | vaatan | watch |
| lugema | loe- | loen | read |
| kirjutama | kirjuta- | kirjutan | write |
Ma loen raamatut. — I am reading a book.
Me räägime eesti keelt. — We speak Estonian.
4. Negative sentences
Use ei + present stem, without a personal ending. The form is the same for everyone.
Ma ei õpi. Sa ei õpi. Nad ei õpi.
Ta ei loe. — He / she does not read.
Olema is different: ma olen, sa oled, ta on, me oleme, te olete, nad on. Negative: ei ole. Review the olema lesson.
Practise
Write your answers in Estonian. Check them and try again as often as you like.
Test your knowledge
Answer 12 questions. There is no timer. Your score and explanations appear after you submit.