täislauset

Täislauset, in Estonian grammar, refers to a complete sentence that can stand on its own and expresses a full proposition or idea. It typically contains a finite verb and a subject, though Estonian allows omitting the subject when it is clear from the verb form. A täislauset can be declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamative.

Key features include that it conveys a complete thought and ends with appropriate punctuation (a period for statements, a question mark for questions, or an exclamation mark for exclamations). The basic structure is flexible in Estonian due to rich inflection, but a finite verb is essential, and the sentence usually has a clear predication and a subject or implied subject.

Täislauset can be simple or complex. A simple täislauset contains one finite verb and a complete predicate, as in "Lumi sajab." or "Ta tuleb homme." A complex täislauset may consist of two or more clauses joined by coordinating or subordinating conjunctions, for example "Ta tuli, ja ta jäi," which links two finite clauses into a single, coherent sentence.

The concept is contrasted with osalaused or lausefragmente, which are incomplete syntactic units that cannot convey a complete thought on their own. Such fragments may serve as parts of sentences or quotes but do not constitute täislaused by themselves.

In usage, täislauset are the standard units of written and spoken Estonian. Understanding whether a stretch of text is a täislauset or a fragment helps with punctuation, grammar analysis, and language teaching.