minevikuvormi

Minevikuvormi is a term used in Estonian linguistics to refer to the past tense forms of verbs. It encompasses the different ways Estonian marks past time, including both simple past forms and composite forms that connect past actions to other time frames. The concept helps describe how speakers indicate when an action occurred and how it relates to the present or to other events.

The simple past, or lihtminevik, is used for actions completed in the past and is common in narrative and factual recounting. It is formed by attaching verb endings to the stem, with endings varying by person and number and often involving stem changes for some verb classes. Examples include töödasin (I worked), käisin (I went), and lugesin (I read). In negative sentences, the particle ei accompanies the past form, as in ta ei töötanud (they did not work).

The composite past forms, sometimes described as täielik minevik, use an auxiliary verb (usually olema in the present tense) together with a past participle to express actions with present relevance or completed actions. Examples are olen töötanud (I have worked) and oleme lugenud (we have read). These forms agree with the subject in person and number, and they are common in everyday speech and writing when relating past experiences to the present.

Irregular verbs and class-based stem changes add variety to minevikuvormi, requiring some memorization and exposure. Overall, minevikuvormi covers the core systems for stating past time in Estonian, enabling clear narration, description of experiences, and articulation of past events.