nõusse

Nõusse is the illative singular form of the Estonian noun nõu, which means a dish, vessel, or kitchenware. In grammar, the illative case marks movement into a space or container, so nõusse is used to indicate something going into the interior of a dish or other vessel. The form is most commonly seen in written language, manuals, and formal descriptions of cooking or serving actions.

Etymology and form: Nõusse is derived from the stem nõu with the illative suffix -sse. The corresponding plural illative form is nõudesse (into the dishes). The illative singular nõusse signals direction toward the inside of a specific container, rather than a general placement near a dish.

Usage: Nõusse is used when specifying the destination container for an action, especially with liquids or foods being placed or poured into a dish or bowl. It frequently appears in recipes, cooking instructions, and descriptive prose that detail how substances are transferred to serving or cooking vessels. In everyday speech, Estonians may omit the illative in favor of a more general expression, but nõusse remains common in precise or formal contexts.

Examples:

- Ma panin supi nõusse. (I put the soup into the dish.)

- Ta valas piima nõusse. (He poured the milk into the dish.)

See also: Illative case in Estonian grammar; nõu as a noun meaning dish or kitchenware, distinct from other meanings with related forms.