Allatiivkäänu

Allatiivkäänu is a term of Estonian grammar. It refers to the allative case, one of the fourteen cases in the Estonian language. The allative case indicates motion towards a place or destination. It answers the question "mihine?" which translates to "whither?" or "to where?".

The allative case is formed by adding the suffix -sse to the end of a noun. For example, the noun "maja" (house) in the allative case becomes "majasse" (into the house). This case is used with both concrete locations and abstract concepts. For instance, one might say "Ma lähen linna" (I am going to the city) or "Ta mõtles selle peale" (He thought about it).

The allative case is distinct from the illative case, which also indicates motion into something, but typically implies entering an enclosed space. The allative case often describes movement towards a more general location or surface. Understanding the allative case is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences in Estonian that express direction and destination.