Estonian has 14 noun cases.

But I am here to reassure you: It is not as scary as it sounds.

When people hear “14 cases,” they imagine they have to memorize 14 completely different words for every single object in the world.

That would be impossible.

The reality is much simpler. Estonian is like a Lego set. Once you have the main block (the stem), you just snap different endings onto it to change the meaning.

In this guide, I will break down how the system works so you can stop worrying about the grammar tables and start speaking.

What is a noun case?

In English, when we want to show the relationship between words, we usually use little helper words called prepositions.

For example, look at the word “house”:

• In the house
• From the house
• To the house

In Estonian, we don’t usually use a separate word for “in,” “from,” or “to.” Instead, we glue that meaning onto the end of the word itself.

So, “house” is maja.

• Majas (House-in)
• Majast (House-from)
• Majasse (House-into)

That is all a “case” is. It is just a different ending that tells you what the word is doing in the sentence.

The “big three” cases

Before we look at the long list of 14 cases, you only need to focus on three.

These are called the “grammatical cases.” If you learn these three forms for a new word, you can automatically build all the other cases. They are the keys to the kingdom.

1. Nominative (Nimetav)

This is the dictionary form. It is the basic form of the word with no extra endings attached. It is usually the subject of the sentence (the one doing the action).

Example: Koer (Dog)

2. Genitive (Omastav)

This corresponds to the possessive in English (like saying “the dog’s tail” or “of the dog”).

This case is the most important one to learn. Why? Because the Genitive form gives you the “stem.” You will add almost all other endings (like “in,” “on,” “with”) to this Genitive stem.

Usually, the Genitive ends in a vowel (a, e, i, u, or o).

Example: Koera (Dog’s / Of the dog)

3. Partitive (Osastav)

This is the one that gives English speakers the most trouble, but it is very logical once you get used to it.

We use the Partitive when:

• We are talking about an indefinite amount (some, a part of).
• We are using numbers (except the number 1).
• The action isn’t finished.
• We express a negative (not having something).

Example: Koera (Dog - in this specific word, it looks like the Genitive, but often it ends in -t or -d).

Let’s use a different word to see the difference clearly. Auto (Car).

• Nominative: Auto
• Genitive: Auto
• Partitive: Autot

The other 11 cases (logic, not magic)

Once you know the Genitive (the second case we talked about), the rest is easy. You just take the Genitive stem and glue an ending to it.

These cases are mostly used to tell location (where something is).

The internal cases (inside)

These are for things happening inside something.

• In: -s (majas - in the house)
• From inside: -st (majast - from the house)
• Into: -sse (majasse - into the house)

The external cases (on top)

These are for things happening on a surface.

• On: -l (laual - on the table)
• Off of: -lt (laualt - off the table)
• Onto: -le (lauale - onto the table)

The “state” cases

These describe what something is becoming or being.

• Becoming: -ks (arstiks - [to become] a doctor)
• As/Being: -na (lapsena - as a child)
• Until: -ni (hommikuni - until morning)
• Without: -ta (rahata - without money)
• With: -ga (sõbraga - with a friend)

Summary table of all 14 cases

Here is a helpful table using the word Maja (House).

Note: The Genitive form is “Maja”. We use this as the base for the rest.

A note on regional variations

While standard Estonian uses the endings above, you might hear variations if you travel. For example, in South Estonia (Võro or Seto dialects), the inessive (“in”) ending often drops the ‘s’. Instead of majas (in the house), you might just hear a modification of the vowel, like majahn.

However, as a beginner, stick to the standard endings in the table above. Everyone will understand you!

Tips for practicing

When you start to learn Estonian, don’t try to memorize that whole table above for every word you meet. That is the boring way!

Here is what I recommend instead:

1. Learn the “Big Three” together. Whenever you write down a new vocabulary word, write it like this: Nominative - Genitive - Partitive. For example: Auto - Auto - Autot.
2. Think in phrases, not cases. Don’t think “I need the elative case.” Think “I need the -st ending because I am taking something out.”
3. Listen to patterns. Your brain is smarter than you think. If you listen to enough Estonian audio, you will start to “feel” when a word sounds wrong without the right ending.

The cases make Estonian incredibly precise and flexible. Once you master the logic, you will see that it is actually a very organized and beautiful system.