Väikseimatele

Väikseimatele is the Estonian allative plural form of the adjective meaning “the smallest ones.” It is used to indicate direction toward the smallest members of a group or to designate those members as recipients. In English, it corresponds to “to the smallest ones.” The form combines the base meaning of “väike” (small) with the superlative sense and the allative plural ending -tele, yielding väikseimatele.

In practice, väikseimatele is employed when referring to a subset of people or things that are considered the smallest within a larger set. The exact usage depends on context and whether the reference is to animate or inanimate targets. It is most common in sentences that describe giving, addressing, or directing attention toward those smallest members of a group.

Examples:

- Kingitus läks väikseimatele. (The gift went to the smallest ones.)

- Kõned pöördusid väikseimatele kuulajatele. (The speeches were directed at the smallest listeners.)

As a grammatical form, väikseimatele illustrates how Estonian adjectives decline for number and case, combining a superlative stem with the allative plural suffix. It is primarily used in formal or literary contexts and in sentences that specify recipients or targets within a group.

See also: Estonian adjectives, Estonian cases, allative case, superlatives.