määramaks

Määramaks is a non-finite form of the Estonian verb määrama, which means to determine, designate or appoint. It represents the supine, a verb form used to express purpose or intent rather than tense or mood. The suffix -maks is added to the verb stem to create this form, which functions in clauses that denote the aim or result of an action.

Grammatical role and usage are typically formal. Määramaks is not a standalone finite verb; it appears in non-finite clauses that indicate purpose or outcome, often within legal, administrative, or official prose. The subject associated with määramaks is determined by context and may align with the subject of the main clause or be implicit. Because of its formal character, it is less common in everyday spoken Estonian and more frequently encountered in statutes, regulations, or official correspondence.

Relation to other forms is through the same suffix -maks, which is used to form the supine with many Estonian verbs. This makes such forms useful in expressing purpose across various verbs, for example mõistmaks (to understand in order to understand) or määramaks (to designate/appoint in order to designate/appoint), among others. The -maks form thus provides a flexible, non-finite way to articulate aims within complex sentences.

In summary, määramaks is a formal, non-finite form of määrama used to express purpose in Estonian, predominantly in official or legal-language contexts. It illustrates how Estonian uses the supine with the -maks suffix to pack purpose-like meaning into a compact non-finite verb form.