Igaühe

igaühe is an Estonian word that functions as a universal pronoun and quantifier, meaning “everyone” or “each person.” It is used to refer to all individuals within a group, often in formal or written language, and can also serve as a determiner that modifies a following noun.

Etymology and grammar: the form combines iga, meaning “every,” with ühe, the genitive form of üks, meaning “one.” This construction expresses the idea of each person within a group and is used in possessive or determiner positions, for example in phrases like igaühe arvamus (“the opinion of everyone”) or igaühe jaoks (“for everyone”). In everyday Estonian, more colloquial terms like kõik are common, but igaühe appears frequently in official, academic, or policy language.

Usage and examples: igaühe arvamus on oluline translates to “every person’s opinion is important.” Another common usage is igaühe jaoks, meaning “for everyone,” as in projekt on mõeldud igaühe jaoks. The word emphasizes inclusion of all members of a group and is often found in discussions of rights, responsibilities, or collective interests, such as igaühe õigused or igaühe kohustused.

Style and related terms: igaühe is typically considered more formal or bureaucratic than simpler words like kõik or igaüks. It is used when the speaker or writer wants to stress universality and distributive consideration across individuals.

See also: Estonian grammar; Estonian pronouns; Estonian quantifiers.