nädalatega

Nädalatega is an Estonian grammatical form that represents the comitative of the noun nädal (week). The form is built from the genitive plural nädalate with the comitative suffix -ga, yielding nädala-tega, commonly written as nädalatega. The literal meaning is “with weeks,” and it is used to convey a duration or time frame that involves several weeks.

In grammatical terms, nädalatega exemplifies how Estonian expresses accompaniment or associated duration through the comitative case. It appears most often in more formal, literary, or historical contexts and is less common in everyday speech. The construction can convey a sense of time that stretches over multiple weeks rather than pinpointing a precise count of weeks.

Usage and frequency: In contemporary standard Estonian, speakers more commonly use phrases such as mitme nädala jooksul ("over a number of weeks") or nädalate jooksul ("during the weeks") to express multiweek durations. Nädalatega tends to appear in older texts, formal prose, legal drafting, or stylistically marked writing where a more cyclical or accumulative sense of time is desired.

Etymology and relations: Nädalatega is formed from the noun nädal plus the comitative suffix -ga, a productive pattern in Estonian that marks accompaniment or association. It has a limited but recognized role within the broader system of Estonian time expressions and is often cited in discussions of the language’s case and aspectual mechanisms.

See also: Estonian language, comitative case, time expressions, duration phrases.