Kortermaju

Kortermaju is the partitive plural form of the Estonian noun kortermaja, meaning apartment buildings. The term is used in Estonian to refer to multiple buildings that contain dwelling units, or to speak about apartment houses in general without specifying a quantity.

Etymology and form: kortermaja is a compound of korter (apartment) and maja (house). The form kortermaju represents the partitive plural, a grammatical case used for indefinite quantities or when describing an unspecified amount of apartment buildings.

Usage and context: In everyday Estonian, kortermaju denotes buildings that host several separate residences. In urban planning, architecture, and real estate contexts, the term is used to discuss groups of such buildings, their design, density, and impact on neighborhoods. Apartment buildings can vary widely in size and style, from small, low-rise blocks to large, high-rise complexes, and may involve different construction methods and materials. The term is neutral and commonly employed in descriptions of cityscapes, housing stock, and rental or ownership markets.

Related terms: The corresponding singular term is kortermaja (apartment building). Related concepts include paneelmaja (panel building) and other categories of multi-family housing. In linguistic usage, kortermaju appears primarily in partitive or plural contexts, for example when referring to “some apartment buildings” or “apartment buildings in the city.”

See also: Apartment building; Estonian language; Declension in Estonian; Paneelmaja.