Elatiivsingulaarne

Elatiivsingulaarne is the term used in Estonian grammar to refer to the singular elative case. The elative singular marks origin or source, typically translating to from or out of in English. It is used to indicate where someone or something comes from, or the starting point of movement, and it commonly appears with nouns denoting places, materials, or abstract origins. In questions it answers kust? (from where).

Formation and use: In most Estonian nouns, the elative singular is formed by adding the suffix -st to the word stem, with phonological adjustments as needed. Examples include koolist (from the school), veest (from the water), maast (from the ground), and Eestist (from Estonia). The exact spelling may reflect stem changes to preserve harmony and pronunciation. The elative singular contrasts with the elative plural and with other case forms, and it often coexists with verbs of movement or expressions of origin.

Typical usage: The elative singular is the preferred form when specifying a source in the singular. It answers questions like kust? from where. It can replace prepositional phrases in many contexts and is essential for expressing origins in everyday Estonian.

Examples: Ma tulen koolist. (I come from the school.) Ta on pärit Eestist. (He is from Estonia.) Ta päästis end veest. (He saved himself from the water; example of the kind of source indicated by the elative.)

See also: The elatiivsingulaarne is part of the Estonian case system, which includes several other cases used to express location, movement, possession, and various relationships.