Negatiivseteks

Negatiivseteks is an Estonian grammatical form: it is the translative plural form of the adjective negatiivne. The translative case in Estonian signals a change of state or transformation into a certain quality, and negatiivseteks is used when referring to several things that become, or are regarded as, negatives. The form is typically used with plural subjects or where the predicate refers to multiple items in a negative capacity.

In practice, negatiivseteks appears when describing a shift toward a negative class or category, often after verbs of becoming or turning into. It is the plural counterpart of negatiivseks, which is used for singular subjects. The construction allows speakers to say that many things have turned into negatives or are being treated as negatives, rather than simply describing them as negative in quality.

Usage examples illustrate its meaning and scope. For instance, nad muutuvad negatiivseteks means “they become negatives” or “they turn into negatives.” Erinevad olukorrad võivad saada negatiivseteks translates roughly as “different situations may become negatives.” In contexts where the noun is explicit, negatiivseteks may accompany the implied plural noun, while in predicative use it follows the linking verb to describe a state of being for each item in the plural.

Negatiivseteks is part of the broader Estonian system of translative forms, which also include singular counterparts such as negatiivseks. Understanding this form helps in interpreting statements about transformation, categorization, or qualitative change involving multiple items.

See also: Estonian grammar, translatiiv, negatiivne.