Inimesed

Inimesed is the Estonian word for "people" and is the plural form of inimene, meaning a human being or a person. It is used to refer to a group of people, a population, or humanity in general, and appears in everyday speech as well as in formal writing.

Etymology and cognates: Inimesed is cognate with Finnish ihmiset and Karelian forms of the same word, all traced back to a Proto-Finnic origin for "person" or "human being." The corresponding singular Estonian form is inimene, and the plural nominative is inimesed.

Usage and nuance: The term is neutral in tone and widely applicable, from news reporting and academic prose to everyday conversation. It can describe people in a concrete sense (a particular group) or abstractly (humans in general). It is distinct from rahvas, which refers more to a nation or culture, and from the singular inimene. Estonian uses standard noun inflection for cases such as genitive inimeste and partitive inimesi.

Examples: Inimesed elavad linnades. Inimesed on erinevad, ja peavad üksteist austama.