kloie wrote:Could we use saama and hakkama to form the future tense like finnish uses tulla and aikoa?
I don't think I'd call it a "future tense" per se - technically Estonian doesn't have a future tense, and it has a variety of different ways to express future events - but yes, those verbs are two of those ways.
Saama is used with only a few verbs, usually with
olema, but also with a few others like
toimuma.
Hakkama can be used with a wider variety of verbs.
You can say, for example:
See aasta saab olema põnev. = This year will be exciting.
Ta hakkab neid aitama. = He will help them.
Mida sa hakkad tegema? = What are you going to do?
Also, when direct objects are involved the partial/total object distinction helps to express the future, as in these two examples (from my previous post above):
Ma ostan raamatut. (part. sing.) = I am buying the book. (partial object)
Ma ostan raamatu. (gen. sing.) = I will buy the book. (total object)
You can also use verbs like "kavatsema" to express the future when it relates to what someone is going to do:
Ma kavatsen minna Tartusse. = I'm going to go to Tartu.
Nende tütar kavatseb abielluda. = Their daughter is going to get married.
Since this technically means "intends to" or "plans to," though, you would not use this verb with an inanimate subject (such as the exciting year mentioned in the example above, for example, or the warmer weather in the example below).
And there are other verbs that are sometimes used. But I think the most common way of expressing the future tense is simply by using the present tense verb, and if clarification is needed a future-oriented time word is added (homme, järgmisel nädalal, varsti, tulevikus, etc).
Ma lähen [homme] kinno. = I'm going to the movies [tomorrow].
Ma räägin temaga [varsti]. = I'll talk to him [soon].
Liisa töötab järgmisel aastal täie koormusega. = Liisa will work full time next year.
Ilm muutub soojemaks. = The weather will get warmer.
Gripi aktiivsus suureneb lähinädalatel. = Flu activity will increase in the coming weeks.
Mida sa järgmisena teed? = What will you do next?
Context often makes the time words unnecessary. For example, you might step outside and notice that it feels warmer and say "ilm muutub soojemaks" (it's getting warmer) in the present tense, meaning it's doing that right now, but in the context of a weather forecast you know that "ilm muutub soojemaks" refers to what is predicted for the coming days.