Tegemisele

Tegemisele is an Estonian linguistic term referring to a specific inflected form of the noun tegemine, which means “the act of doing” or “the act of making.” The form tegemisele is the allative case of tegemine, indicating direction toward an action or a purpose related to the action.

Grammatical function and formation: In Estonian, the allative case is used to express movement toward, access to, or the target of an action, and tegemisele fulfills this role for the noun tegemine. As a result, tegemisele tends to convey ideas such as “to the doing,” “toward the act of doing,” or “for the act of doing.” It is most commonly found in more formal or academic prose, and in constructions that discuss goals, planning, motivation, or policy related to performing an action rather than in everyday speech.

Usage and translation: Tegemisele is not a standalone concept but a grammatical form that shapes how the associated action is framed. In translation, it is typically rendered as phrases like “to the doing,” “toward the act of doing,” or “for doing,” depending on the context. Its precise interpretation relies on the surrounding verbs and nouns and on whether the emphasis is on direction, purpose, or responsibility linked to an action.

See also: Estonian grammar, allative case, tegemine, Estonian nouns, case endings.