Attribiivne

Attribiivne is a grammatical term used in Estonian linguistics to describe a modifier that directly describes or limits a noun within a noun phrase. In Estonian, attributive modifiers typically appear before the noun and agree with it in case and number. The most common attributive modifiers are adjectives, but demonstratives, numerals and possessives can also function attributively. Examples include punane auto (red car) and vana raamat (old book).

A phrase with an attributive modifier forms a noun phrase that provides information about the noun without the need for a linking verb. When multiple modifiers are present, the attributive elements together build a description of the noun, as in phrases where demonstratives, numerals or adjectives combine to specify which noun is being referred to.

The attributive use contrasts with predicative use, where the same word follows a linking verb and describes the subject, as in Auto on punane (The car is red). In predicative position, the adjective functions as part of the predicate rather than as a direct modifier of the noun within the noun phrase. The same lexical item can often serve in both roles, but its syntactic function differs.

In Estonian, attributive modifiers must agree with the noun in case and number, and they can be inflected for degrees of comparison. The concept of attribiivne is central to understanding how properties are attached to nouns within sentences and how noun phrases are constructed in Estonian grammar.