millegisse

Millegisse is a term used in discussions of Estonian grammar to denote a specific illative form of the interrogative pronoun mille, meaning “into what” or “to what.” The form is formed by taking the interrogative stem mille and adding the illative suffix -sse. In traditional descriptions it is described as a way to ask about destination, direction, or target of an action.

Usage and status: Millegisse is largely attested in historical texts and certain regional dialects. In modern Standard Estonian, it is uncommon and often regarded as archaic or literary. Contemporary usage typically prefers other constructions to convey the same idea, such as using indirect questions or the common destination expressions kuhu for “to where/into which.”

Function and nuance: When millegisse appears, it foregrounds the directionality of an action toward an unspecified destination, and it can carry a more formal or rhetorical tone. Its occurrence tends to be limited to poetry, older prose, or carefully styled language rather than everyday speech.

Morphology and syntax: The form illustrates how Estonian combines interrogative stems with case endings to express grammatical roles. Millegisse is one of several illative forms used with interrogatives; others may appear with different stems or in different historical registers.

See also: Estonian grammar; Illative case; Interrogative pronouns in Estonian.