kingitusena

Kingitusena is an Estonian grammatical form meaning “as a gift.” It represents the translative case of the noun kingitus (gift) and is used to indicate the role or function of an object in a context in which it is given or presented.

In usage, kingitusena tends to appear in clauses describing gift exchanges, shipments, or offerings. It answers questions like “in what capacity is this object being presented?” and is commonly found after verbs of giving or sending. For example, Raamat saadeti kingitusena. (The book was sent as a gift.) Ta andis mulle kingitusena kaelakee. (He gave me a necklace as a gift.)

The form is created by adding the translative suffix to the noun stem, producing kingitusena. This pattern is part of a broader set of Estonian translative forms that express a change of state or the role of something in a situation. The precise suffix can vary with phonology, but kingitusena is the standard derivation for the noun kingitus in this sense.

Kingitusena is distinct from other case forms that express location or instrumentality; its core meaning is tied to the notion of presenting or offering something in the capacity of a gift. While easy to translate as “as a gift” in English, it carries a specific grammatical function within Estonian sentences rather than a general prepositional construction.