Adjektiivis

Adjektiivis is a term used in Estonian grammar to refer to adjectives in the language. It is the inessive singular form of the noun adjektiiv (adjective) and is primarily encountered in linguistic descriptions rather than everyday speech. The form adjektiivis literally means “in the adjective,” and it is used to discuss adjectival phenomena within grammar texts and educational materials.

In usage, adjektiivis appears as a label or label-like phrase in descriptions of adjectives and their behavior. It does not denote a separate part of speech on its own; rather, it serves as a grammatical term to talk about adjectives or adjectival functions. For example, one might discuss “adjektiivis tähendus” (the adjectival meaning) or “adjektiivis funktsioon” (the adjectival function) in a linguistic context. The term is thus a specialized, formal designation used by students, teachers, and researchers when analyzing how adjectives operate in Estonian sentences.

Morphologically, adjektiivis is the form of the noun adjektiiv that marks the inessive case. In practical terms, it is not a word you would use in ordinary conversation to describe a property of a noun; its role is to reference how adjectives function, appear, or inflect within grammatical explanations.

See also: adjektiiv, määrus and other parts of speech in Estonian grammar. References to adjektiivis are common in grammar guides, linguistic papers, and school curricula that cover adjectives and their syntactic and semantic roles.