Mällu

Mällu is an Estonian expression formed from mälu (memory) that means “into memory” or “in memory.” It is used with verbs related to memorization or retention and is common in everyday speech. Phrases such as mällu võtma and mällu panema are idiomatic and mean to commit information to memory or to store it mentally for later recall.

Usage and examples: In ordinary conversation, you might hear imperatives like “Võta see mällu!” meaning “Remember this!” or “Pane see mällu, palun,” meaning “Please put this in memory.” A phrase such as “See jäi mulle mällu” can be translated as “That stuck in my memory.” In contrast, other memory-related expressions use meelde, such as meelde jääma, which also conveys the idea of remembering or staying in mind.

Nuance and register: The use of mällu often emphasizes deliberate encoding or intentional retention of information, while other forms of remembering in Estonian may be more neutral or broad in scope. Both mällu-based expressions and alternatives like meelde jääma are widely understood in standard Estonian.

Origin and related terms: The word mällu is formed from mälu, Estonian for memory, and appears in several common idioms about memorization. See also Mälu, memory; meelde jääma and meelde jätma, which cover related notions of remembering and keeping in mind.