Hooajal

Hooajal is an Estonian adessive form of the noun hooaeg, meaning season. It is used to indicate that something happens, is available, or is relevant during a particular season. In everyday language it translates roughly as “in season” or “during the season.” The form is commonly used with a broad range of nouns, including agriculture, retail, media, and sports, to place events, products, or content in the context of a specific time of year or sporting cycle.

Etymology and form: The base hooaeg denotes a period of the year or a sports season, and the adessive suffix -l yields hooajal, meaning “in the season” or “during the season.” The word is widely used in both written and spoken Estonian to emphasize seasonality.

Usage: In agriculture and food, items are described as hooajal to indicate seasonal availability. For example, “Maasikad on hooajal” means strawberries are in season. In retail and marketing, stores refer to hooajalised tooted or hooajaline pakkumine to signal seasonal products or promotions. In media and sports, the term describes the period of a competition or a team’s activities: “Meeskond alustas hooajal edukalt” or “hooajalised uudised” refer to season-related coverage. The expression can also be used more broadly to discuss trends and content tied to a particular time of year.

See also: hooaeg, hooajaline, hooajaline kaup, hooajamenüü.