Emotsionaalsesse

Emotsionaalsesse is an Estonian grammatical form derived from the adjective emotsionaalne, meaning emotional. It is the illative form of the adjective, used to express entering or moving into an emotional state. As a case form, emotsionaalsesse does not stand alone as a separate lexical item; it functions within a noun phrase to describe the state toward which movement or attention is directed.

In Estonian, words carrying the illative case indicate movement into something, and adjectives agree with the illative noun. The form emotsionaalsesse typically appears with a noun such as seisund (state) to convey “into an emotional state.” The common construction is emotsionaalsesse + [state noun], for example emotsionaalsesse seisundisse, meaning into an emotional state. The etymology traces to emotsioon (emotion) and emotsionaalne (emotional), with the illative suffix -sse applied to the adjective to align with the illative noun.

Usage of emotsionaalsesse is most frequent in written Estonian, including literary, journalistic, and formal prose, where authors describe changes in affect, mood, or mental condition. It is less common in everyday speech, where shorter or more general expressions may be used. While it conveys a precise semantic nuance, speakers may substitute simpler phrases such as “emotsionaalselt” or “emotsionaalsesse seisundisse” depending on stylistic needs.

See also: emotsioon, emotsionaalne, Estonian grammar, illative case.