juhuslikule

Juhuslikule is an Estonian word form that represents the allative singular of the adjective juhuslik, meaning random or incidental. In Estonian, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and case, and the allative case is marked with the suffix -le. Therefore, juhuslikule is used before a noun that is in the allative, to express a sense of direction toward or recipient of the action, as in “to a random …”.

Usage and examples

The form juhuslikule appears in phrases where the noun it modifies is in the allative. Common two-word base phrases include juhuslik valik (random selection) and juhuslik proov (random test); in the allative these can become juhuslikule valikule and juhuslikule proovile, respectively. In everyday speech, speakers often use the bare form juhuslik valik, but the allative variant is natural in contexts emphasizing direction or transfer.

Etymology and morphology

The adjective juhuslik is derived from juhus (chance) with the common adjectival suffix -lik. The allative suffix -le attaches to the noun, while the adjective accompanies it in the same case. Thus juhuslikule is not an independent word with a fixed meaning, but a case-inflected form used to modify a noun in the allative.

Notes

The allative case is one of several local cases in Estonian used to convey spatial and directional relations. While juhuslikule is correct in formal or descriptive contexts, the most common everyday expression for “random” is the two-word phrase juhuslik valik. See also Estonian grammar, allative case, juhuslik, and concepts related to random sampling.