Põhivormil

Põhivormil is a grammatical term used in Estonian to refer to the base form of a verb, often called the lemma or dictionary form. It is the form in which a verb is usually cited in grammars and dictionaries and serves as the starting point for deriving all other forms of the verb. In many descriptions, põhivorm is treated as the infinitive, though some grammars distinguish a broader non-finite form from other infinitive types.

Form and examples

The base form typically ends with -ma, -da, or -ta, reflecting the principal verb class. Examples include lugema (to read), andma (to give), tegema (to do), and olema (to be). This form is invariable for person and number, which means it does not change with different subjects or tenses. From the põhivorm, Estonian verbs are conjugated to produce finite forms such as those used for person, number, and mood.

Usage

The põhivorm is used as the reference form in dictionaries and morphological analyses. It is used to form other non-finite constructions, such as participles and verbal nouns, and it underpins the derivation of various verb forms. After modal verbs or in constructions expressing intention or obligation, the non-finite base form often appears, mirroring the role of an infinitive in many languages.

Nominalization

Many Estonian nouns of action are formed from the põhivorm by adding the suffix -mine, yielding words like lugemine (reading), kirjutamine (writing). These -mine nouns denote the act or process associated with the verb’s base meaning.

See also

Estonian grammar, infinitive, non-finite verb forms, verb conjugation, verbal noun.