Elamiseks

Elamiseks is an Estonian nominalized infinitive formed from the verb elama (to live) with the suffix -miseks. It functions as a non-finite noun meaning “for living” or “in order to live,” and is used to express purpose or the intended use of resources.

In usage, elamiseks appears in phrases that indicate what something is for or what is needed to live. It often parallels English expressions like “for living” or “in order to live.” For example: Ma töötan elamiseks meaning “I work to live” or “I work in order to earn money for living.” It can also occur in more general statements such as Elamiseks on vaja raha, roughly “Money is needed for living.”

Elamiseks is part of a productive Estonian pattern in which many verbs can be turned into purpose nouns with -miseks. Other examples include õppimiseks (for studying), söömiseks (for eating), and juurdepääsuks elamiseks (in the context of access for living). The form is relatively invariable and does not take the usual case endings of other nouns when used in standard purpose expressions.

In contemporary usage, elamiseks frequently appears in discussions of work, economics, housing, and social policy, where statements about what is needed for living or for a livelihood are common. It is primarily a linguistic tool for expressing purpose rather than a standalone concrete concept.

See also: Estonian grammar, -miseks suffix, infinitive nouns, purpose clauses.