Passiivset

Passiivset is the partitive singular inflection of the Estonian adjective passiivne, meaning passive. In Estonian, adjectives inflect to agree with the noun they modify for case and number. Passiivset appears when the modified noun is in the partitive case, and it is used to describe an indefinite or partially specified object or situation. The form itself does not introduce a new semantic element beyond the base meaning of “passive.”

Usage of passiivset occurs primarily in noun phrases where the noun is in the partitive case. This happens in various grammatical contexts, such as when a sentence refers to an unspecified amount or when the noun is the object of a verb that governs partitive syntax. Examples include phrases like passiivset lauset, meaning “a passive sentence,” or passiivset häält, meaning “a passive voice/voice quality,” depending on the surrounding structure. These examples illustrate how the form modifies nouns while remaining within the broader Estonian agreement system.

Morphology and related forms: passiivset is one of several inflected endings of the adjective passiivne. Other common forms include the nominative singular passiivne and the genitive singular passiivse. Like other Estonian adjectives, passiivne changes form to match the case and number of the noun it modifies; the partitive singular form passiivset is thus one specific member of that paradigm. In plural or in other cases, the corresponding endings are used according to standard Estonian adjective declension rules.

See also: Estonian grammar, adjectives, noun-adjective agreement.