Linnu

Linnu is a grammatical form in Estonian, specifically the genitive singular of the noun lind, which means bird. As a genitive form, linnu is used to indicate possession or association in noun phrases rather than as an independent lexical item. It appears in everyday language when describing something related to a bird.

In practice, linnu is most commonly seen in phrases such as linnu pesa, meaning a bird’s nest, or linnu laul, meaning the bird’s song. The form also governs words that follow it in compound phrases, for example in expressions describing parts of birds or actions attributed to birds. When the noun that follows is plural, the possessive relation is still established through the genitive form on the possessor, as in linnu pesad (bird’s nests).

Linnu is distinct from linna, the genitive form of linn meaning city. Though both are forms of different base nouns, they can appear similar at a glance, so correct interpretation relies on identifying the head noun in the phrase. The use of linnu is therefore primarily a grammatical tool for signaling ownership or relation to a bird, rather than a separate concept.

Beyond standard prose, linnu occurs in poetry and descriptive writing to convey a close, natural association with birds. Because Estonian grammar relies on case endings rather than prepositions for possession, linnu provides a concise way to link a property to a bird without repeating a noun in the possessive construction. See also Estonian grammar, noun declension, and examples of genitive constructions.