nõrgema

Nõrgema is the Estonian comparative adjective form of the word nõrk, meaning weaker. It is used to compare degrees of weakness, strength, or intensity and appears before a noun in oblique cases, most commonly the genitive singular or partitive forms.

In practice, nõrgem is the basic comparative for the nominative position (weaker), while nõrgema functions as a declined form used when the noun it modifies is in a case such as genitive or partitive. This pattern is part of standard Estonian adjective agreement, where the ending of the adjective changes to match the grammatical case and number of the noun.

Usage and tone: nõrgema is more common in written, formal, or descriptive contexts. It allows speakers to express subtle distinctions in weakness or deficiency, often in phrases that describe attributes or conditions of a noun rather than making a direct predicate.

Examples:

- nõrgema südamega inimene, a person with a weaker heart.

- nõrgema vastupidavusega sportlane, an athlete with weaker endurance.

- nõrgema mõju tõttu, due to weaker influence.

Relationship to related terms: nõrgem is the basic comparative form used in the nominative position, while nõrgema is the inflected form used with certain nouns in genitive or partitive. The root word is nõrk, meaning weak, and nõrgema forms part of standard Estonian comparative grammar.