Mahlased

Mahlased is an Estonian adjective meaning “juicy” or “full of juice.” It is used to describe foods with high moisture content, particularly fruits and meat, and can modify a noun directly or appear in predicative constructions after a linking verb.

Etymology and form: The word derives from the noun mahlas or mahl meaning “juice” with the common adjectival suffix -ane, yielding mahlane “juicy.” The form mahlased is the plural nominative of mahlane and agrees with plural nouns, as in mahlased õunad (juicy apples) or mahlased viinamarjad (juicy grapes).

Usage: Mahlased is a descriptive term common in culinary writing, product labeling, and everyday speech when freshness and succulence are being highlighted. It is typically used attributively before a noun, for example, mahlased õunad, and can also appear predicatively, as in Need õunad on mahlased (These apples are juicy).

Limitations and tone: The term conveys a positive sensory quality and is generally neutral to favorable, though as with any descriptive word its connotation can vary with context. It is a standard part of everyday Estonian vocabulary and does not denote a specialized concept beyond its literal meaning of juiciness.

See also: Estonian language, Estonian adjectives, mahlas (juice).