Hooldajatel

Hooldajatel is the Estonian adessive plural form of the noun hooldaja, which means caregiver, carer, or attendant. As a grammatical form, hooldajatel is used to refer to caregivers in contexts involving location, possession, or in predicative constructions with the copula on, where the subject appears in the adessive case.

Morphology and meaning: The base plural is hooldajad (caregivers). The genitive plural is hooldajate (of the caregivers). The adessive plural, hooldajatel, denotes “on/at the caregivers” or serves as the subject in predicative constructions such as “Hooldajatel on oluline roll” (The caregivers have an important/essential role). This word form is a standard example of how Estonian uses case endings to mark grammatical roles within a sentence.

Usage notes: Hooldajatel is commonly encountered in formal and written Estonian, especially in discussions about caregiving, healthcare, or social services. It appears in sentences that emphasize the position, responsibilities, or actions of caregivers. While it is a morphological form rather than a separate lexical entry, its correct use is essential for accurate syntax and meaning in many contexts.

Etymology and related terms: Hooldajatel stems from hooldaja (caretaker, caregiver) with the plural stem hooldajad, and the adessive plural ending -tel. Related terms include hooldaja (caregiver), hooldus (care, maintenance), and hooldekeskus (care center).

See also: hooldaja, hooldus, hooldekeskus, Estonian grammar, case forms.