käändmine

Käändmine is a grammatical concept found in several languages, notably in Baltic languages such as Estonian and Finnish. It refers to the inflection of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and sometimes numerals to indicate their grammatical function within a sentence. This function can include things like the subject, direct object, indirect object, possession, location, or accompaniment.

In languages that employ käändmine, word endings change depending on the role the word plays. For example, a noun might have a different ending when it is the subject of a sentence compared to when it is the object of a verb or the object of a preposition. This system of case endings helps to clarify the relationships between different words in a sentence, allowing for more flexible word order than in languages that rely heavily on prepositions and fixed word order.

The number of cases can vary significantly between languages. Estonian, for instance, has fourteen grammatical cases. Finnish also has a rich case system with fifteen cases. These cases often overlap in function, with a single case potentially indicating multiple grammatical relationships. Understanding käändmine is crucial for learning and speaking these languages accurately, as incorrect case usage can lead to misunderstandings or grammatical errors. It is a fundamental aspect of their grammatical structure.