Estonian

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Etymology

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From Proto-Finnic *-lainen. Cognate with Finnish -lainen. Attested since at least 1632, when wainlasset (modern vaenlast) is found in a fragmentary Bible (Matthew 22.44).

Suffix

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-lane (genitive -lase, partitive -last)

  1. Derives nouns from places for a person originating from that place.
    Eesti "Estonia" → eestlane "Estonian"
    välismaa "foreign country" → välismaalane "foreigner"
    New Yorknewyorklane "New Yorker"
  2. Derives nouns from other nouns indicating a member or follower of a group related to the base noun.
    Kristus "Christ" → kristlane "Christian"
  3. Derives nouns for occupations related to the base word.
    ajalugu "history" → ajaloolane "historian"
    õppima "to study" → õpilane "student"
  4. Derives nouns for a person (or other entity) according to some other characteristic.
    vaen "hostility" → vaenlane "enemy"
    kange "tough" → kangelane "hero"
    mesi "honey" → mesilane "bee"

Usage notes

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In older texts (from the 1600s and 1700s), the partitive is often spelt -lasset, -laset or -lased.

Declension

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Declension of -lane (ÕS type 12/oluline, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative -lane -lased
accusative nom.
gen. -lase
genitive -laste
partitive -last -lasi
illative -lasse
-lasesse
-lastesse
-lasisse
inessive -lases -lastes
-lasis
elative -lasest -lastest
-lasist
allative -lasele -lastele
-lasile
adessive -lasel -lastel
-lasil
ablative -laselt -lastelt
-lasilt
translative -laseks -lasteks
-lasiks
terminative -laseni -lasteni
essive -lasena -lastena
abessive -laseta -lasteta
comitative -lasega -lastega

Derived terms

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