kujutisesse

kujutisesse is an Estonian term that functions as the illative singular form of the noun kujutis, which means depiction, image, illustration, or representation. The illative case expresses direction toward or into something, so kujutisesse literally means into the depiction or into the image. In usage, it describes entering a depicted space, whether literally (as in a narrative where a character steps into a painting) or metaphorically (immersing oneself in a visual or imagined world). The form is common in literary analysis, art criticism, and descriptive prose when the author wants to emphasize immersion in the depicted scene.

In grammatical terms, kujutisesse is part of Estonian noun morphology and is used after verbs of motion or perception that govern the illative case. The exact illative form can vary with different stems, but for kujutis the standard singular illative is kujutisesse. Plural forms exist to denote entering multiple depictions, though such usage is rarer.

Cognates and related terms include kujutis (image/depiction), kujutu (of depicting), and the broader Illative case in Estonian grammar. The word can also contribute to metaphorical expressions, such as describing a story or artwork as something one can enter or inhabit in the reader’s or viewer’s mind.

See also: Estonian grammar, Illative case, Kujutis.