Atributiivne

Atributiivne is a term in Estonian grammar describing the attributive use of adjectives within noun phrases. It refers to adjectives that directly modify a noun, forming the core of the noun phrase. This use is distinct from predicative adjectives, which describe a subject after a linking verb, as in the sentence “Auto on punane” (The car is red).

In Estonian, attributive adjectives typically appear before the noun and agree with the noun in case and number. For example: “punane auto” (red car) in nominative singular; “punase auto” (of the red car) in genitive singular; “vanad raamatud” (old books) in nominative plural. The adjective endings shift to match the noun’s case and number, ensuring concord within the noun phrase. Attributiivne can modify color, size, material, and other properties, and it often combines with numerals or determiners to form more complex noun phrases, such as “kolm väikesed raamatud” (three small books) or “kõik vanad majad” (all old houses).

The attributive position is the default in Estonian for qualitative and other modifiers. This contrasts with predicative position, where an adjective appears after a verb and describes the subject, e.g., “Maja on suur” (The house is large). The two uses are related but serve different syntactic functions: attributive adjectives integrate into the noun phrase to specify the noun, while predicative adjectives link back to the subject of the clause. See also Estonian grammar and noun phrase structure for related concepts.