Võõraste

Võõraste is an Estonian word form derived from the adjective and noun võõras, meaning "strange," "foreign," or "a stranger." In grammatical terms võõraste commonly appears as the genitive plural (indicating possession by or relation to multiple strangers) and as part of other case constructions where the plural stem is required. It can function attributively before nouns or in nominal phrases that refer to things associated with outsiders.

Pronunciation: roughly [ˈvɤːrɑste], approximately "vuh-rah-steh" in broad English respelling.

Usage examples include phrases such as võõraste arvamus ("the opinion of outsiders"), võõraste asju ("strangers' things"), and võõraste seas ("among strangers"). Depending on context, the term carries neutral descriptive meaning (unfamiliar or belonging to non-locals) but may acquire negative or cautious connotations when referring to people perceived as threatening or untrustworthy.

Etymology and cognates: võõras is part of the Finnic vocabulary and is cognate with Finnish vieras ("guest; stranger") and related forms in other Uralic languages. Morphologically, võõraste is formed from the base võõras plus the plural/genitive/adjectival ending typical of Estonian inflectional patterns.

In contemporary Estonian the word appears in everyday speech, literature, and idiomatic expressions that explore themes of unfamiliarity, otherness, and social boundaries.