üldnimi

Üldnimi is an Estonian linguistic term for a common noun. It denotes a general class of objects or a non-specific item, rather than a particular, named entity. This contrasts with a proper noun, which names a unique person, place, or thing (for example, a city or a person’s name).

Common nouns can refer to animals, substances, ideas, activities, and other general concepts. They function as the main naming words in a sentence and are inflected for grammatical case and number. Estonian has a rich case system, and üldnimi follow the same patterns as other nouns in taking different endings to mark functions such as subject, object, possession, location, and direction. Estonian nouns, including common nouns, have no grammatical gender, and definiteness is not conveyed through articles, since the language lacks definite and indefinite articles. Specificity is often indicated by demonstratives, possessives, or context.

In use, üldnimi appear as subjects, predicates, or complements and can be modified by adjectives and possessives. They can denote countable items (such as a dog or books) or mass/substance nouns (like water or sand), and they form plural and various case forms in sentences.

Dictionaries typically list the nominative singular form as the base, from which other forms are derived through standard Estonian noun inflection. Understanding üldnimi helps learners distinguish general nouns from proper names and to navigate Estonian grammar more clearly.