sõnarühm

A sõnarühm, often translated as a word group or phrase, is a sequence of words that functions as a single unit within a sentence. Unlike a complete sentence, a sõnarühm does not typically contain both a subject and a predicate, meaning it doesn't express a full thought. Instead, it contributes to the meaning of a larger sentence by acting as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.

There are various types of sõnarühmad. A noun phrase (nimisõnafraas) functions as a noun, for example, "suur punane maja" (big red house). A verb phrase (verbifraas) includes the main verb and any auxiliary verbs or adverbs, such as "hakkas kiiresti jooksma" (started to run quickly). An adjective phrase (omadussõnafraas) modifies a noun, like "väga huvitav raamat" (a very interesting book). Similarly, an adverb phrase (määrsõnafraas) modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, such as "väga hästi" (very well). Prepositional phrases (prepositsioonifraasid), beginning with a preposition, are also common sõnarühmad, for instance, "koju minema" (to go home). Understanding sõnarühmad is crucial for analyzing sentence structure and comprehending the nuances of meaning in Estonian. They form the building blocks of more complex grammatical constructions.