Rikkumisel

Rikkumisel is a grammatical form in Estonian that denotes the circumstance of a violation or breach. It is the adessive form related to the noun rikkumine, which means “violation” or “breach.” In formal language, especially in legal, regulatory, and contractual texts, rikkumisel is used to express “in the event of a breach” or “upon violation.”

Usage and meaning

In sentences, rikkumisel introduces clauses that describe consequences, procedures, or conditions that apply if a breach occurs. For example: “Rikkumisel leping lõpeb” (In the event of a breach, the contract ends), or “Rikkumisel võivad osapooled esitada kahju hüvitamiseks nõudeid.” The exact phrasing can vary, but the core idea is to establish what follows from a violation.

Etymology and form

The form is created from rikkumine (violation) by adding the adessive suffix -sel, which marks a circumstance or condition. This construction is part of Estonian’s system of cases that express contextual relations without using separate conjunctions.

Context and usage notes

Rikkumisel is most common in official and technical writing. In everyday speech, speakers often use more direct phrasing such as “kui rikkutakse” or “rikkumise korral.” The term signals formality and legal precision and is typically found in contracts, regulations, and judicial or administrative texts.

See also

Rikkumine (violation), contract law, legal language, Estonian grammar.