Kaardi

Kaardi is the genitive singular form of the Estonian noun kaart, which has several related senses in Estonian: map or chart, and card in the broader sense including playing cards, identity cards, or bank cards. The base word kaart is commonly used for both geographical representations and various kinds of cards, with different compounds and phrases built around it.

Usage of kaardi occurs wherever a map or card is described as belonging to or associated with something else. In everyday language it appears in phrases such as kaardi kasutamine (the use of the map), kaardi koostamine (the creation or compilation of a map), and kaardi mõõtmed (the map’s dimensions). Because Estonian uses genitive forms to indicate possession or attribution, kaardi functions as the possessive element in such constructions without an accompanying article.

Grammatical notes: kaardi is the genitive singular of kaart and is used to link the possessed noun to another noun in a compound or noun phrase. Estonian lacks articles, so the possessive meaning is conveyed through case endings like kaardi rather than through articles. The form changes in other cases and number (for example, kaartide for genitive plural), but kaardi remains the standard genitive singular form for the singular possessed noun kaart.

Etymology and history: kaart is a loanword from German Karte, reflecting the map sense, with later extension to the broader sense of card in Estonian. The genitive kaardi arises from standard Estonian noun declension, aligning with other possessive constructions in the language.

See also: kaart, Estonian grammar, Estonian language.