Tantsijate

Tantsijate is the genitive plural form of the Estonian noun tantsija, meaning dancer. It is used to express possession or an association with a group of dancers, rather than to name the dancers as the subject of a sentence. In standard Estonian, the genitive plural is used with another noun to indicate something belonging to or related to the dancers, such as clothing, events, or organizations.

Etymology and form: The form is created by adding the -te ending to the stem of tantsija, resulting in tantsijate for the genitive plural. This contrasts with tantsijad, the nominative plural used when the dancers themselves are the subject or topic of a sentence.

Usage notes: Tantsijate is commonly found in phrases describing possessions or affiliations, for example, tantsijate riietus (the dancers’ costumes), tantsijate esinemised (the dancers’ performances), or tantsijate kool (the dancers’ school). It often appears after a possessive or descriptive noun to specify what belongs to or concerns the dancers.

Examples:

- Tantsijate riietus oli laval särav. (The dancers’ costumes were radiant on stage.)

- Kool pakub tantsijate treeninguid ja tantsijaid. (The school offers training for dancers and dancers themselves.)

- Rahvusvahelise tantsijate ühenduse eesmärk on koostöö ja arengu edendamine. (The International Association of Dancers aims to promote cooperation and development.)

See also: Estonian language, genitive case, tantsija, tantsijad.