lihtset

Lihtset is the partitive singular form of the Estonian adjective lihtne, meaning “easy” or “simple.” It appears when the adjective modifies a noun in the partitive case, a grammatical construction used for indefinite quantities, negation, or non-specific objects.

In Estonian, adjectives decline to reflect the case and number of the nouns they describe. The form lihtset is the partitive singular of the adjective lihtne; other forms include lihtne in the nominative/accusative singular and lihtse in the genitive singular. The partitive form is especially common when the object is indefinite or when the sentence involves negation or non-specific quantity.

Common usage examples include modifying nouns such as ülesanne (task) or võimalus (opportunity) in the partitive singular: lihtset ülesannet, lihtset võimalust. For instance, phrases like “Ma ei lahenda lihtset ülesannet” (I will not solve a simple task) or “Ta otsis lihtset võimalust” (He looked for an easy option) illustrate typical usage, where the noun is in the partitive case and the adjective takes the form lihtset.

See note: lihtset is not a separate word with its own lexical meaning beyond being the inflected form of lihtne; it functions as a grammatical variant of the adjective rather than a distinct term.

Overall, lihtset is a standard part of Estonian adjective inflection, used to describe non-definite or negated objects with the sense of “simple” or “easy.”