Tuesday, July 24, 2018
da infinitive
da infinitive
I discussed the -ma infinitive in my last post. In this post I will deal with the -da infinitive.
Forms of the infinitive
While it is called the -da infinitive the infinitive form can end in either -da, -ta or simply -a. View:
luge/da read, r��ki/da talk, laul/da sing
t�us/ta, seis/ta stand, vasta/ta answer
vii/a take, transport, k�i/a walk, m��/a sell
If the stem of the verb already ends in d or t, this consonant is not normally repeated in the suffix, i.e. suffix only appears as a. See:
and/a give, s�it/a ride, drive, saat/a send. The -ma infinitive forms of the verbs are and/ma, s�it/ma and saat/ma, in which all the consonant appears in the verb stem. Note however, that in a limited number of instances, the verb stem is doubled. Know that a double consonant is of the third degree (see here). Examples: v�t/ma, v�tt/a talk, kat/ma, kat/ta cover.
Use
The -da infinitive is with the following verbs or constructions:
a) verbs expressing a wish, an intention, or a possibility.
aitama, aitan help --- oskama, oskan be able, know how --- j�udma, j�uan have time, manage
jaksama, jaksan have strength --- otsustama, otsustan decide --- paluma, palun beg
kavatsema, kavatsen plan --- proovima, proovin attempt --- k�skima, k�sin command
laskma, lasen let --- lootma, loodan hope --- lubama, luban permit, promise
m�istma, m�istan understand how --- m�tlema, m�tlen think --- m�rkama, m�rkan notice
n�gema, n�en see --- p��dma, p��an strive --- saama, saan get, be able
soovima, soovin wish --- suutma, suudan manage --- tahtma, tahan want
teadma, tean know --- tohtima, tohin have permission --- v�ima, v�in have leave, be able
Examples:
Ma ei j�ua t��tada I cannot bear [manage] to work.
Ta m�istab �igel ajal l�petada He understands (how) to end at the right time.
Kas sa oskad brid�i m�ngida Do you know how to play bridge?
Mida v�in teile pakkuda? What may I offer you?
Kas soovite natuke puhata? Do you wish to rest a little?
Ma tahan teada, mis see t�hendab I want to know what this means.
Kas ma saan sind aidata? Can I help you?
Palun sind siia tulla? I beg you to come here.
Exceptions:
Note that in the following the -ma infinitive is used.
Ma saan hakkama I can manage.
Palun teid tantsima I invite you to dance.
b) verbs expressing an emotion or feeling.
armastama, armastan love --- kartma, kardan fear
jalgema, julgen dare --- meeldima, meeldin like, appeal
Ma armastan jalutada v�rske �hu k�es I love to (go for a) walk in the fresh air.
Kas sulle meeldib teatris k�ia? Do you like to go to the theatre? [Does going to the theatre appeal to you?]
�li�pilane kardab minna eksamile The student is afraid to go to (take) the test.
Ta julgeb �telda, mis ta m�tleb He dares to say what he thinks.
c) impersonal expressions:
on aeg it is time --- saab it is possible --- tohib it is permitted --- on raske it is hard
on kasulik it is beneficial, useful --- tuleb one ought to, one must --- v�ib one may
on tarvis it is necessary --- on vaja it is necessary --- on valus it is painful
On aeg t�usta It is time to get up
On raske leida paremat kohta It is hard to find a better place
Suvel on kasulike supelda It is beneficial to go swimming in the summer
Seda pole tarvis teha That is not necessary to do
T�de on valus kuulda The truth is painful to hear
Exceptions:
N��d peab koju minema Now one must go home. The impersonal expression peab one must takes the -ma infinitive.
d) after the conjunction et, when in means in order to (normally it is translated by that):
Ma s�idan maale, et puhata I am driving to the country, in order to rest.
e) when the infinitive is used as the subject in a sentence, or when it modifies a subject:
Eksida on inimlik To err is human. Mul on lust laulda I have a desire to sing.
Stem
In cases the two infintives have the same stem:
luge/ma, luge/da read --- �ppi/ma, �ppi/da learn, study --- r��ki/ma, r��ki/da talk
In other cases, the stems may be different.
If the stem of the infinitives ends in -oo or -�� in the -ma infinitive, this will be -uu or �� in the -da infinitive, respectively.
Examples:
too/ma --- tuu/a bring
s��/ma --- s��/a
Other examples of differences between the stems of the two infinitives follow:
jooks/ma --- joos/ta run
tege/ma --- teh/a do
m�tle/ma --- m�(t)el/da think
ole/ma --- oll/a be
oota/ma --- ooda/ta wait
tule/ma --- tull/a come
�tle/ma --- �tel/da, �el/da say
Source: Juhan Tuldava, Estonian Textbook, 1994
