Perekondadesse

Perekondadesse is the Estonian illative plural form of the noun perekond, meaning “into the families.” It is used to express movement toward or into multiple families, typically in contexts involving visiting, joining, or entering family groups.

Formation and meaning: In Estonian, the illative plural is formed from the genitive plural stem of a noun by adding the suffix -sse. For perekond, the genitive plural is perekondade, so the illative plural becomes perekondadesse. This contrasts with the inessive form perekondades, which means “in the families,” and with other cases that describe location rather than movement.

Usage: Perekondadesse is used with verbs of motion or change of location to indicate entering or moving into several families. Examples include sentences like “Läksime perekondadesse külla” (We went into the families to visit) or “Ta suundus perekondadesse” (She headed toward the families). The form is most natural when the speaker intends to emphasize direction into multiple family units.

Notes: The illative plural is a standard part of Estonian grammar, illustrating how movement-oriented cases interact with number. It is distinct from the singular illative (ending in -sse) and from the plural inessive forms, which describe state rather than direction.