eessõnu

Eessõnu are a class of closed-class words in Estonian grammar that precede a noun phrase to mark its relation to other elements in the clause. They are used to express spatial relations (where something is or goes), temporal relations (when), directional relations (toward or through), and other semantic relations such as means, cause, or comparison. In Estonian, the majority of these relations are encoded morphologically on the noun through the case system, and prepositions typically select a particular case for the following noun or pronoun. Consequently, the appearance and inflection of the noun following an eessõnu can depend on the choice of eessõnu.

The set of eessõnu is large and includes simple prepositions and some fixed multiword expressions. They are generally used with definite or indefinite nouns and with pronouns. Some eessõnu can appear in phrases with adjectives and numerals, forming complex prepositional phrases.

Estonian eessõnu contrast with post-nominal elements in that they occur before the noun they govern, and they are a core part of the language’s grammatical system for encoding relation without using new syntactic positions. They are a part of the language’s flexible case-based syntax, and their use is essential for precise meaning and for avoiding ambiguity in sentences.

For learners, mastering eessõnu involves learning the typical case that follows each eessõnu and recognizing fixed expressions.