Vähiks

Vähiks is the translative case form of the Estonian noun vähk. The translative case, indicated by the suffix -ks, denotes a change of state or role and is often translated into English as “into X” or “became X.” In use, vähiks signals that something has undergone a transformation to become the thing named by vähk.

Vähk itself carries several senses in Estonian. Most commonly, it refers to cancer, the disease. It can also denote a crab or related crustaceans in some contexts, depending on regional usage. The translative form vähiks can accompany any sense of vähk, but its meaning centers on becoming or turning into that thing rather than plainly identifying it.

In ordinary speech, forms like vähiks are relatively rare and more likely to appear in linguistic descriptions, grammar examples, or literary/figurative writing. They are not typically used in everyday conversation to describe typical changes of state, where more common constructions with mood or aspect are preferred. When used, examples include sentences such as “Ta sai vähiks” or “Ta muutus vähiks,” meaning “He became a cancer” or “He changed into a cancer,” illustrating the sense of becoming. More natural-sounding usage often relies on context or metaphor within a narrative.

See also: Estonian grammatical cases, translative case, becoming constructions.