Predikatiiviks

Predikatiiviks is the Estonian term for the translative form used with predicatives, i.e., the complement that names the subject’s state, role, or identity. This form typically appears with verbs that express a change of state, most notably saama (to become), and it marks what someone or something becomes.

Function and use

A predikatiiviks expression answers questions such as kelleks? or milleks? (into what role or state). It usually consists of a noun or noun phrase in translative case, often formed with the suffix -ks, as in arstiks (into a doctor) or õpetajaks (into a teacher). The translative predicative names a result of a transformation or a newly assumed identity, rather than a permanent inherent trait. Predicatives in -ks are most common after verbs of becoming, but the predicative function can also appear in other constructions that express a change of state.

Forms and examples

Common examples include Ta sai arstiks (He became a doctor) and See sai tõeks (That became true). The form -ks marks the translative case, signaling the shift toward a new role or state. Not all predicate expressions require -ks; adjectives used as predicatives after copular verbs can appear in non-translative forms, and some predicates take the bare nominative form when describing a stable attribute.

Relation to predikatiiv

In Estonian grammar, predikatiiv is the broader term for the component that completes the meaning of the sentence with information about the subject. Predikatiiviks refers specifically to the translative realization of that predicate, indicating a change of state or identity. The use of -ks is characteristic for the predicative in this transformational sense, contrasting with non-translative predicatives that express enduring properties or roles.