Isiklikeks

Isiklikeks is an Estonian word form that functions as the translative case of the adjective isiklik, meaning personal or private. It is used to express a change of state, indicating that something has become or is being transformed into a personal or private condition. The singular translative form is isiklikuks, while isiklikeks is the plural form used with plural subjects or plural nouns.

In practice, isiklikeks appears in predicative constructions after verbs of becoming, such as muutuma (to become). Examples include Nad muutusid isiklikeks (They became personal/private) and See tegevus muutus isiklikuks (The action became personal/private). The plural form is chosen when the complement refers to a plural subject or multiple items: Nad muutusid isiklikeks asjadeks (They became personal/private things) is a possible inflected variant in similar contexts.

Isiklikeks is also found in more formal or technical language, including policy or data-privacy contexts, where it can describe a status or categorization that something has assumed, such as isiklikeks andmeteks (into personal data) or isiklikuks kasutamiseks (for personal use). In everyday speech, speakers often use simpler expressions like isiklik või privaatne unless a precise state-change construction is required.

Etymology-wise, isiklik stems from isik (person) with the adjectival suffix -lik-, yielding isiklik (personal/private). The translative case marks a change of state, and the plural ending -eks reflects agreement with a plural complement. Thus isiklikeks is primarily a grammatical form used to denote a shift toward a private or personal status in plural predicative contexts.