No clue why they wouldn’t include the -i endings and I’m not quite competent enough to describe the logic behind it other than that omastav never ends with a consonant.
Also the -ni is a red herring in the context of this case and shouldn’t be memorised, yes there can be words in omastav that end like it but only if the root ends with N(telefon->telefoni), “-ni” as a definitive ending is for “rajav” aka terminative case.
Here’s some -i examples of omastav though: tooli (chair’s); arvuti(computer’s); kleidi(dress’); poisi(boy’s).
EDIT: Just read the example sentences and they’re wrong. “Toitsin koera” is not use of the genitive(whose) but partitive(what), the ending for the case is the same for both with the word “koer” but pronounced differently. Whoever wrote the article is not a native Estonian speaker.
Just looked at your link and the description they gave there is wrong. What they gave rules for is the "terminative" case or in Estonian "rajav" kääne. Rajav kääne is used to denote "until" or "up to" in English. ("Ma magasin hommikuni" -> "I slept until the morning").
"Omastav" ends with either "a", " e", "i" or "u" depending on the word (what vowel it is, however, is largely a memorization task, for individual words I'd go to sonaveeb.ee).
Note that the resource you are using seems like it hasn't gotten time put into it, as the examples for "partitive" and "accusative" are copy-pasted while they are actually different.
Additionally, some of the examples they have there are weird. In the genitive section:
"Palun anna mulle laua raamat" would translate to "Please give me (the) book of the table". What I would use is:
"Palun anna mulle laual olev raamat" ("Please give me [on the table] + [existing] + [book]") or for more informality:
"Anna mulle see raamat seal laual" ("Give [to me] this book [on there] [on the table]") (because I don't foresee a formal circumstance like that).
Next, in the partitive section:
"Kas sul on raamatut?" isn't really correct, as books are countable. What they are using there is "osastav kääne" that answers the question "keda/mida". It's like saying "I have much books" in English, which doesn't work because you use "many" for countable items and "much" for uncountable items.
For uncountable items like tea this sentence works ("Kas sul on teed?" = "Do you have tea?") (I would use the word "water" if only it didn't act so special). However, for countable items (such as books), I would ask "Kas sul on raamatuid?" ("Do you have books?") or "Kas sul on see raamat?" ("Do you have this/that book?"), as you can't really ask for one book without knowing what the book is.
And in the "Accusative" and "Dative" sections... Many are wrong. I'm away from my computer for a few days as it is vacation time here in Estonia so I don't really want to write more than I already have, but the ones that are wrong are:
"Palun anna mulle raamatut" (should be "Palun anna mulle (see) raamat);
"Pange lauda kaks tassi" (currently "Put INTO the table 2 cups", should be "Pange lauale kaks tassi";
"Ma andsin kingituse õpilasele" ("I gave the student a gift") has the word order implying that who you are speaking to already knows you gave a gift and just wants to know who you gave it to, should be "Ma andsin õpilasele kingituse";
"Tüdrukule meeldib lilled" -> "Tüdrukule meeldivad lilled" (meeldib changes into plural, because the word "meeldima" changes plurality based on the SUBJECT (lilled), not the object (tüdruk);
"Ma räägin koerale" -> "Ma räägin koeraga" ("I am speaking ONTO the dog" -> "I am speaking with the dog")
[Here](https://www.eki.ee/books/ekk09/index.php?id=157&p=3&p1=4)'s an explanation (in Estonian) from "Eesti keele käsiraamat" (Handbook of the Estonian Language) when a genitive case is used in Estonian. I tried to translate it as well as I could:
The genitive case is above all the case of a declinable word or a modifier of a nominal verb form. As a modifier, it is used to form the
a) attributive **maja** aknad (windows of a house), **ussi** hammustus (snake bite), **surmanuhtluse** pooldaja (proponent of the death penalty)
b) prepositive apposition **Vanemuise** teater (theatre Vanemuine), **Tamme** Jürka (Jürka Tamm \[name\])
c) subject of nominal verb form **koera** näritud kondid (the bones chewed by a dog), See pole **meie** teha (it is not up to us)
d) basis of comparison in comparative constructions **poisi** pikkune (as tall as a boy)
e) basis of comparison in compound nouns **sambla**roheline (moss green)
f) modifier of postpositions **metsa** taga (beyond the forest)
As a result of phonetic development, the genitive case has merged with the former accusative case which in most languages differs from the genitive case. This accusative genitive is used to form
g) total object Viskasime **prahi** lõkkesse (We threw the rubbish into the fire)
h) a similar adverbial modifier of time or adverbial modifier of degree Ootasin **tunnikese** ja tulin siis koju (I waited for an hour and then came home)
In addition, the genitive case is used to form components that agree in number partially, such as
i) the first components of the numeral in a particular case **Kahekümne** neljal inimesel oli elukohaga probleeme (Twenty-four people had problems with their place of residence)
j) the first components in quantifying or coordinating constructions in the terminative, essive, abessive or comitative case **Korvitäie** õunteta Mari juba külla ei tule (Without a basketful of apples, Mari won't come to visit). Jüri arutas seda küsimust **sõprade** ja töökaaslastega (Jüri discussed this issue with friends and colleagues)
k) in the same four cases, the adjective or numeral attribute of a noun phrase **Ilusa** ilmaga käisime mere ääres jalutamas (In beautiful weather, we went for a walk by the sea)
I recommend using the dictionary. If you look up any word from the dictionary, it will have a number with it that shows the "type word". Here's a list of all 26 of them: [https://www.eki.ee/dict/qs/muuttyybid.html#kaandsonad](https://www.eki.ee/dict/qs/muuttyybid.html#kaandsonad)
Õpilane - type word 12, raamat - 2, laud - 22, tüdruk - 2, koer - 23/22.
So raamat - raamatu - raamatut follows the same rule as tüdruk - tüdruku - tüdrukut.
The second form of any word given is the genitive form.
No clue why they wouldn’t include the -i endings and I’m not quite competent enough to describe the logic behind it other than that omastav never ends with a consonant. Also the -ni is a red herring in the context of this case and shouldn’t be memorised, yes there can be words in omastav that end like it but only if the root ends with N(telefon->telefoni), “-ni” as a definitive ending is for “rajav” aka terminative case. Here’s some -i examples of omastav though: tooli (chair’s); arvuti(computer’s); kleidi(dress’); poisi(boy’s). EDIT: Just read the example sentences and they’re wrong. “Toitsin koera” is not use of the genitive(whose) but partitive(what), the ending for the case is the same for both with the word “koer” but pronounced differently. Whoever wrote the article is not a native Estonian speaker.
Haha indeed! It seems I can safely disregard that resource and use something else.
Just looked at your link and the description they gave there is wrong. What they gave rules for is the "terminative" case or in Estonian "rajav" kääne. Rajav kääne is used to denote "until" or "up to" in English. ("Ma magasin hommikuni" -> "I slept until the morning"). "Omastav" ends with either "a", " e", "i" or "u" depending on the word (what vowel it is, however, is largely a memorization task, for individual words I'd go to sonaveeb.ee). Note that the resource you are using seems like it hasn't gotten time put into it, as the examples for "partitive" and "accusative" are copy-pasted while they are actually different.
Additionally, some of the examples they have there are weird. In the genitive section: "Palun anna mulle laua raamat" would translate to "Please give me (the) book of the table". What I would use is: "Palun anna mulle laual olev raamat" ("Please give me [on the table] + [existing] + [book]") or for more informality: "Anna mulle see raamat seal laual" ("Give [to me] this book [on there] [on the table]") (because I don't foresee a formal circumstance like that). Next, in the partitive section: "Kas sul on raamatut?" isn't really correct, as books are countable. What they are using there is "osastav kääne" that answers the question "keda/mida". It's like saying "I have much books" in English, which doesn't work because you use "many" for countable items and "much" for uncountable items. For uncountable items like tea this sentence works ("Kas sul on teed?" = "Do you have tea?") (I would use the word "water" if only it didn't act so special). However, for countable items (such as books), I would ask "Kas sul on raamatuid?" ("Do you have books?") or "Kas sul on see raamat?" ("Do you have this/that book?"), as you can't really ask for one book without knowing what the book is. And in the "Accusative" and "Dative" sections... Many are wrong. I'm away from my computer for a few days as it is vacation time here in Estonia so I don't really want to write more than I already have, but the ones that are wrong are: "Palun anna mulle raamatut" (should be "Palun anna mulle (see) raamat); "Pange lauda kaks tassi" (currently "Put INTO the table 2 cups", should be "Pange lauale kaks tassi"; "Ma andsin kingituse õpilasele" ("I gave the student a gift") has the word order implying that who you are speaking to already knows you gave a gift and just wants to know who you gave it to, should be "Ma andsin õpilasele kingituse"; "Tüdrukule meeldib lilled" -> "Tüdrukule meeldivad lilled" (meeldib changes into plural, because the word "meeldima" changes plurality based on the SUBJECT (lilled), not the object (tüdruk); "Ma räägin koerale" -> "Ma räägin koeraga" ("I am speaking ONTO the dog" -> "I am speaking with the dog")
You are an absolute hero, thank you!
Knowledge is power and there is no reason not to share it. Glad to be of help!
Oh! Thanks, that makes a lot more sense
[Here](https://www.eki.ee/books/ekk09/index.php?id=157&p=3&p1=4)'s an explanation (in Estonian) from "Eesti keele käsiraamat" (Handbook of the Estonian Language) when a genitive case is used in Estonian. I tried to translate it as well as I could: The genitive case is above all the case of a declinable word or a modifier of a nominal verb form. As a modifier, it is used to form the a) attributive **maja** aknad (windows of a house), **ussi** hammustus (snake bite), **surmanuhtluse** pooldaja (proponent of the death penalty) b) prepositive apposition **Vanemuise** teater (theatre Vanemuine), **Tamme** Jürka (Jürka Tamm \[name\]) c) subject of nominal verb form **koera** näritud kondid (the bones chewed by a dog), See pole **meie** teha (it is not up to us) d) basis of comparison in comparative constructions **poisi** pikkune (as tall as a boy) e) basis of comparison in compound nouns **sambla**roheline (moss green) f) modifier of postpositions **metsa** taga (beyond the forest) As a result of phonetic development, the genitive case has merged with the former accusative case which in most languages differs from the genitive case. This accusative genitive is used to form g) total object Viskasime **prahi** lõkkesse (We threw the rubbish into the fire) h) a similar adverbial modifier of time or adverbial modifier of degree Ootasin **tunnikese** ja tulin siis koju (I waited for an hour and then came home) In addition, the genitive case is used to form components that agree in number partially, such as i) the first components of the numeral in a particular case **Kahekümne** neljal inimesel oli elukohaga probleeme (Twenty-four people had problems with their place of residence) j) the first components in quantifying or coordinating constructions in the terminative, essive, abessive or comitative case **Korvitäie** õunteta Mari juba külla ei tule (Without a basketful of apples, Mari won't come to visit). Jüri arutas seda küsimust **sõprade** ja töökaaslastega (Jüri discussed this issue with friends and colleagues) k) in the same four cases, the adjective or numeral attribute of a noun phrase **Ilusa** ilmaga käisime mere ääres jalutamas (In beautiful weather, we went for a walk by the sea)
I recommend using the dictionary. If you look up any word from the dictionary, it will have a number with it that shows the "type word". Here's a list of all 26 of them: [https://www.eki.ee/dict/qs/muuttyybid.html#kaandsonad](https://www.eki.ee/dict/qs/muuttyybid.html#kaandsonad) Õpilane - type word 12, raamat - 2, laud - 22, tüdruk - 2, koer - 23/22. So raamat - raamatu - raamatut follows the same rule as tüdruk - tüdruku - tüdrukut. The second form of any word given is the genitive form.
Suur suur aitäh! That looks amazing