põhilistes

Põhilistes is an Estonian word that translates to "basic" or "fundamental" in English. It is commonly used as an adjective to describe something that is essential, elementary, or forming the foundation of something else. For instance, "põhilised oskused" refers to basic skills, and "põhilised vajadused" signifies basic needs.

The word "põhilistes" can also function as the plural form of the adjective "põhiline" or as the genitive case of the noun "põhi," which means "bottom" or "base." In the context of grammar, when referring to the plural form, it describes multiple fundamental elements or concepts. For example, "Need on põhilistes mõisted" would mean "These are the basic concepts."

When used as the genitive case of "põhi," it denotes possession or relation to the bottom or base. An example might be "laeva põhilistes" meaning "of the ship's bottom." However, the adjectival use of "põhilistes" to mean "basic" is significantly more prevalent in everyday language and academic discourse. Understanding its core meaning of "fundamental" or "essential" is key to interpreting its usage in various Estonian contexts.