jõude

Jõude is the genitive plural form of the Estonian noun jõud, meaning forces or powers. Jõud is a polysemous noun with several related senses, including physical force or strength, military or political forces, and influence or capacity. In standard Estonian, jõude specifically marks the genitive plural and is used in noun phrases to indicate possession, association, or quantity of forces. This form tends to appear in formal, official, or academic contexts rather than colloquial speech.

In usage, jõude often appears in phrases describing aspects of forces rather than as a stand-alone noun. For example, phrases such as jõude suurus (the size of the forces) or jõude arendamine (the development of the forces) show how the genitive plural modifies another noun to convey a relationship to the forces in question. The form can also occur in planning or analysis contexts, such as discussions about the allocation or distribution of forces.

In translation, jõude corresponds to English expressions like “of the forces” or “the forces” when these concepts are part of a larger noun phrase. The exact rendering depends on context, such as whether one refers to physical strength, military capabilities, or political influence. The term is closely tied to the base word jõud, and its use reflects Estonian's system of case forms that encode relationships within noun phrases.

See also: jõud (Estonian noun) for the broader range of meanings and grammatical details of the base term.