Kujutuvad

Kujutuvad is an Estonian word used as an adjective or participial form to describe things that exist in the imagination or as representations rather than in physical reality. It derives from the verb kujutama, which can mean to imagine or to depict. In literary and artistic contexts, kujutuvad is commonly used to refer to imagined or depicted elements within a work.

In practice, kujutuvad is applied to people, places, or concepts that are not real or that function as constructions within a narrative or artwork. For example, kujutuvad tegelased means “imagined characters” in a novel, while kujutuvad maastikud can describe fictional landscapes in a story or painting. The term is used to signal distinction from actual, tangible entities.

The word interacts with related terms such as kujutlus (imagination or concept) and kujutelm (image or representation). In criticism or theory, discussions may contrast kujutuvad elements with those described as kujutatud or with notions of realism, highlighting how imagery and imagination shape perception and meaning without asserting verifiable existence.

Usage notes: kujutuvad conforms to Estonian grammar and agreement, taking appropriate endings for number and case in sentences. Its connotation is largely determined by context, ranging from neutral description of fictive content to evaluative judgments about the role of imagination in art and perception.

See also: kujutlus, kujutelm, kujutatud, realism, fantasy, figurative language.