Juuste

Juuste is a term that appears in Estonian linguistic discussions to designate a particular inflection of the noun juust, meaning cheese. It is typically described as a genitive plural form that marks possession or association with multiple cheeses. In standard modern Estonian, this exact form is generally not used; juuste is treated as archaic or dialectal and is mainly encountered in historical texts, poetry, or regional varieties.

Etymology and morphology

Juuste is explained as a historical variant built from the juust stem with an ending that resembles older Estonian inflection patterns. While contemporary grammar normally uses juustude as the genitive plural for cheese, juuste is cited in grammars as an example of early or nonstandard inflection, illustrating how noun endings shifted over time across dialects.

Usage and status

Today, juuste is kept for descriptive or scholarly purposes rather than as active, everyday language. It may appear in studies of Estonian historical texts, comparative dialectology, or discussions of how noun endings evolved. When writing in standard Estonian, speakers and writers rely on juustude for the genitive plural meaning “of cheeses.”

Relation to related forms

The base noun is juust (cheese). The common genitive plural in modern usage is juustude. Juuste is treated as a historical or dialectal variant that helps illustrate the development of Estonian noun endings.

See also

Estonian grammar, noun declensions, juust (cheese), dialectology.