Võõrkeelest

Võõrkeelest is the elative (from) form of the Estonian noun võõrkeel, meaning a foreign language. In Estonian grammar, elative forms express origin or source, roughly corresponding to “from a …” in English. The base võõrkeel is a compound of võõr- (foreign) and keel (language), so võõrkeelest literally means “from a foreign language.”

The word is used to indicate that something comes from or is derived from a foreign language. It is common in discussions about translations, borrowings, or linguistic origins. For example, Sõna on võõrkeelest võetud. (The word was borrowed from a foreign language.) Tekst on võõrkeelest tõlgitud. (The text is translated from a foreign language.) Lause võib olla võõrkeelest pärit väljend. (The sentence may contain an expression originating from a foreign language.)

In practice, võõrkeelest is typically paired with verbs or descriptors that specify the kind of origin, such as tõlgitud (translated), võetud (taken/borrowed), or pärit (originating from). The form also has plural and other case variants like võõrkeeltest for “from foreign languages,” depending on number and grammatical context.

Usage notes: võõrkeelest is a standard, neutral term suitable for academic and general prose. It does not imply any judgment about quality or legitimacy; it simply marks linguistic origin. Its meaning is closely tied to the context of translation, linguistic study, lexicography, and discussions of language contact.

See also võõrkeel, elatiiv; these terms provide background on the base word and its grammatical function.