Verbs and Verb Conjugation

In Estonian, the present, past simple, present perfect and past perfect are distinguished. In the spoken language and in the press, the analytical saama-future also occurs.

Verbs are conjugated in the active and passive voice; indicative, imperative, conditional and indirect mood; and in the affirmative and negative form.

Since the verb inflections clearly express the person, the personal pronouns do not generally need to be used, except in the third person of the verb olema 'to be'.

In Estonian-language dictionaries, the verbs are presented after a form of the infinitive. In the case of the verb '(to) love', for instance, the supine is armasta-ma, and infinitive armasta-da.