Nõutavast

Nõutavast is the elative singular form of the Estonian adjective nõutav, which means “required” or “demanded.” In Estonian grammar, the elative case expresses origin or source, so nõutavast is used to modify a noun that is itself in the elative case. For example, in a phrase like nõutavast dokumentist the noun is in the elative case, and the adjective agrees with it.

Morphology and use. The base adjective nõutav can appear in different cases and numbers to match the noun it describes. In the singular nominative it is nõutav, in the genitive nõutava, in the partitive nõutavat, and in the elative nõutavast. In the plural these forms shift accordingly, for instance nõutavatest in the elative plural. The elative form nõutavast signals “from the demanded/required [something].” The adjective can also function predicatively, as in See on nõutav dokument (This is a required document).

Relation to similar terms. Nõutav is often interchangeable with synonyms such as vajalik or kohustuslik in everyday language, but it carries a nuance related to an obligation that has been specified or demanded by an authority or set of rules. In formal or legal contexts, nõutav may appear where rules designate required documents or procedures.

Examples. Nõutav dokument peab olema esitatud. This is a sentence where the noun is nominative and the adjective describes a required document. Nõutavast dokumentist pärinev teave võib olla kasulik. Here, nõutavast modifies a noun in the elative, meaning “information originating from the required document.”