Opastavalt

Opastavalt is a term that appears rarely in Estonian-language texts and is not found in standard dictionaries. Because it lacks broad attestation, it is generally treated as a nonstandard form, most often considered a misspelling or a very regional/obscure variant of the word vastavalt, which means “according to” or “in accordance with.” In formal writing, opastavalt is not recommended.

Etymology and morphology aside from standard usage are unclear. Estonian adverbs of manner commonly end with the suffix -valt or -valt, as in vastavalt. The form opastavalt would resemble this pattern, but there is no widely recognized base form such as opastav in standard Estonian. Because of the absence of corroborating usage in authoritative sources, opastavalt is typically treated as nonstandard, potentially arising from typographical error, mishearing, or a deliberately coined term in a niche context.

Usage notes and guidance: In contexts where precision is important, readers should prefer vastavalt, which has clear, established usage in legal, administrative, academic, and official materials. If opastavalt appears in a text, it is advisable to interpret it as a likely misspelling of vastavalt or to consult the author for clarification. Without additional corroborating sources, opastavalt cannot be regarded as a reliable stand-alone word in standard Estonian.

See also: vastavalt, Estonian adverbs with the suffix -valt, orthographic variations.