Sõnalselt

Sõnalselt is an Estonian adverb. It translates to "verbally," "vocally," or "orally" in English. It is used to describe an action that is performed through spoken words, as opposed to being written, gestured, or otherwise communicated non-verbally.

For example, one might say "Andsin talle sõnalselt teada" which means "I informed him verbally." This distinguishes the communication from an email or a text message. Similarly, if someone is asked to explain something, they might reply "Ma selgitan seda sõnalselt," meaning "I will explain it verbally."

The adverb sõnalselt is derived from the Estonian word "sõna," which means "word." The suffix "-lt" is a common adverbial suffix in Estonian, indicating manner or way. Therefore, sõnalselt literally means "in a word-like manner" or "by means of words." It is a common and useful adverb in the Estonian language for specifying the mode of communication.