Kehtivaks

Kehtivaks is an Estonian grammatical form derived from the adjective kehtiv, meaning valid or in force. It is the translative case form used to express a change of state, indicating that something is becoming or is brought into the state of validity. In practice, kehtivaks is used in legal, administrative, and formal language to describe processes that render a document, law, or rule valid or enforceable.

In grammar, kehtivaks indicates a transition to the status of being valid. It is not a standalone verb but part of compound expressions that describe change of status. The common construction is changes of state with verbs like muutma (to change/make) or tunnistama (to recognize/declare), for example kehtivaks muutmine or kehtivaks tunnistamine.

Usage and examples:

- Seadus muutub kehtivaks alates 1. jaanuarist. (The law becomes valid/in force from January 1.)

- Dokumenti kehtivaks tunnistamine võib olla vajalik enne selle kasutamist. (Declaration of the document as valid may be required before its use.)

- Kehtivaks muutmine on tavaliselt seotud ametliku või õigusliku jõustamisega.

Relation to related terms:

- Kehtivus refers to validity or the state of being valid.

- Kehtima means to be valid or to apply.

- Jõustamine is the process of bringing something into force or effect.

Kehtivaks is therefore a technical form used to describe the transition into validity in formal texts, contrasting with kehtib, which simply states that something is currently valid.