saatma

§ What Does 'Saatma' Mean?

The Estonian verb saatma (CEFR A1) means "to send." It's a very common and practical word you'll use often, whether you're sending an email, a package, or even a person somewhere. Think of it as the go-to verb for dispatching something or someone from one place to another.

You'll hear and use 'saatma' in many everyday situations. For example, if you want to tell someone you're sending them a message, you'd use 'saatma'. If you're talking about sending a letter or a parcel through the post, again, 'saatma' is the word. It's not limited to physical objects; you can also 'saatma' an email, a text message, or even a signal.

§ When Do People Use 'Saatma'?

Estonians use 'saatma' in pretty much the same contexts as English speakers use "to send." Here are some common scenarios:

• Sending mail or packages: This is probably the most frequent use.
• Sending digital messages: Emails, text messages, and even files.
• Sending people: For example, sending someone on an errand or sending a child to school.
• Sending signals or commands: Like sending a signal to a device.

Let's look at some examples to make this clearer:

Hint

I want to send you a letter.

Hint

Please send me an email.

Hint

I sent the package yesterday (to the post office).

Notice how the verb form changes. In the first example, 'saata' is the infinitive form, used after another verb like 'tahtma' (to want). In the second example, 'saada' is the imperative form, used for giving a command. In the third, 'saatsin' is the past tense for "I sent." Don't worry about mastering these variations immediately; the key is to recognize 'saatma' in its different forms and understand that it always relates to the idea of "sending."

§ Basic Usage of 'saatma'

The Estonian verb saatma means 'to send'. It's a fundamental verb you'll use often. Like many verbs in Estonian, its form changes depending on who is doing the sending and when it's happening. For A1 level, focus on understanding its basic meaning and how to use it in simple sentences.

Word

saatma

Type

Verb

Meaning

To send something

§ Present Tense Conjugation

Let's look at how to use saatma in the present tense. Remember, the verb ending changes based on the subject.

• Mina saadan – I send
• Sina saadad – You (singular informal) send
• Tema saadab – He/She/It sends
• Me saadame – We send
• Te saadate – You (plural/formal) send
• Nemad saadavad – They send

§ Using 'saatma' with Objects

When you send something, that 'something' is usually in the partitive case or the nominative case if it's the direct object of a transitive verb. For 'saatma', the thing being sent often appears in the partitive or occasionally the genitive, especially if it's a specific, definite item. However, for A1, let's keep it simple: the item you send is usually the direct object. If you send *to* someone, that person is typically in the allative case (ending in -le).

Here, 'raamatu' (book) is in the genitive case, implying 'a' specific book. 'Sõbrale' (to a friend) uses the -le ending for direction 'to'.

In this case, 'emaile' (emails) is in the partitive plural, meaning 'some emails' or 'emails in general'.

§ Common Prepositions/Postpositions with 'saatma'

Estonian uses cases more than prepositions, but you will often see directional endings. When sending something *to* a place or person, the allative case (-le for people, -le or illative -sse/-le for places) is common. When sending *from* somewhere, the elative case (-st) is used.

Here, 'Eestisse' uses the illative case, meaning 'into Estonia'.

'Postkontorist' uses the elative case, meaning 'from the post office'.

§ Useful Phrases with 'saatma'

Here are some practical phrases you can use right away:

• Saadan SMS-i. (I'll send an SMS.)
• Kas sa saadad mulle faili? (Will you send me the file?)
• Palun saada see aadressile. (Please send it to this address.)
• Ma pean selle homme saatma. (I need to send this tomorrow.)

Practice these sentences to get comfortable with saatma. The more you use it, the easier it will become to recall the correct conjugations and case endings.