kuulemastaan

Kuulemastaan is an Estonian word that translates to "what has been heard" or "from what one has heard." It is a past participle of the verb kuulma, meaning "to hear." The suffix -st indicates a partitive or ablative case, signifying origin or source.

In Estonian grammar, kuulemastaan is used to indicate that something is based on hearsay or information received from another source, rather than direct personal experience or knowledge. It functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or adjective to describe the basis of the statement. For example, one might say "Ta on haige, kuulemastaan" which translates to "He is sick, from what I've heard." This implies the speaker has not personally seen or confirmed the illness but is relaying information received from someone else.

The use of kuulemastaan highlights the importance of distinguishing between firsthand accounts and secondhand information. It is a common expression used in everyday conversation to convey a degree of uncertainty or to attribute information to its source. The word emphasizes that the speaker is not claiming absolute certainty but is reporting something that has come to their attention through auditory means. Its grammatical structure allows for a nuanced expression of how information is acquired and disseminated.