köögile

Köögile is the Estonian allative case form of köök, meaning the kitchen. It marks direction toward the kitchen and is used with verbs of motion to indicate a destination. The allative is formed by adding the suffix -le to the noun stem: köök → köögile. In the plural, the form becomes köökidele. The allative is one of several directional cases in Estonian.

In use, köögile answers the question kuhu? “to where?” For example, Ma lähen köögile means I am going to the kitchen. Other examples include Tule köögile (Come to the kitchen). The form is typically used with verbs of movement and with phrases describing the destination or target of an action.

Köögile contrasts with the illative form kööki, which denotes movement into the interior of a space. The Estonian system includes several directional forms to express subtle distinctions of location and movement. Köögile is a common element in everyday speech, especially in contexts involving cooking, groceries, and household routines. See also Estonian grammar and the allative case.