üldnimisõnad

Üldnimisõnad are common nouns in the Estonian language. They refer to a general class of persons, places, things, or ideas, rather than a specific individual or entity. Unlike proper nouns, which are always capitalized, general nouns are typically written in lowercase unless they begin a sentence. For example, in the sentence "Koer jookseb aias" (The dog runs in the yard), "koer" (dog) and "aias" (yard) are general nouns. Conversely, a proper noun like "Eesti" (Estonia) would be capitalized.

General nouns can be singular or plural and can take various grammatical cases in Estonian, which is a highly inflected language. The distinction between general and proper nouns is fundamental to understanding Estonian grammar and sentence construction. They form the backbone of descriptive language, allowing speakers and writers to communicate about the world in a broad and inclusive manner. Examples of common general nouns include "maja" (house), "raamat" (book), "inimene" (person), "linn" (city), and "idee" (idea). The context of a sentence usually clarifies the meaning of a general noun, as it does in most languages.