märjaks

märjaks is the translative form of the Estonian adjective märg, meaning wet. It is used to express a change of state into a wet condition and typically functions predicatively in clauses describing becoming wet due to an external factor such as weather or contact with water. In everyday language it appears in constructions that describe causes of wetness, or the result of an event that makes someone or something wet.

In usage, märjaks often appears with verbs that indicate a change of state. Common examples include sentences like “Vihm tegi ta märjaks” (The rain made him wet) and “Ta jäi märjaks, kui sadas vihma” (He got wet as it was raining). The form can also be found in phrases that denote someone or something has become wet as a result of exposure to moisture, such as after being outside in the rain. The word commonly coexists with the related verb forms saama (to become) or jääma (to stay), for example “saama märjaks” (to become wet).

Etymologically, märjaks is derived from märg (wet) with the translative suffix -ks, which signals a transition to a new state. Related terms include the base adjective märg and the verbal expression märjaks saama in contrast to other cases used to describe states and qualities. The translative form is primarily a grammatical tool in Estonian and is used across standard and written language to convey the experience of becoming wet.