liitlauseid

Liitlauseid, or subordinate clauses, are clauses that cannot stand alone and function as part of a larger sentence. They depend on a main clause to provide context or complete meaning. In Estonian grammar, liitlauseid are introduced by subordinating conjunctions or relative pronouns and can act as nouns, adverbs, or adjectives within the sentence.

Common types include noun clauses (complement clauses), relative clauses, adverbial clauses, indirect questions, and non-finite clauses. Examples in Estonian include: Ma arvan, et see on tõde. (I think that this is true.) Inimene, kes mind kutsus, on mu sõber. (The person who invited me is my friend.) Kui sajab vihma, jääme koju. (If it rains, we stay home.) Ta küsis, kus ta on. (He asked where he is.) Lõpetades töö, ta lahkus. (Having finished the work, he left.)

Noun clauses function as subjects or objects, relative clauses modify a noun, adverbial clauses specify time, reason, condition, or place, and non-finite clauses convey purpose or timing without a finite verb in the subordinate part. The exact subordinating words and word order vary by language, but the core idea remains: liitlauseid provide information that the main clause relies on to complete meaning, and they are typically separated from the main clause by punctuation where appropriate.