põhineks

Põhineks is an Estonian finite verb form that marks the conditional mood of the verb põhine- (to base on, to be based on). It is used to express hypothetical grounding for a statement, plan, or assessment and often appears in clauses formed with kui (if) or in formal proposals and academic writing. In everyday language, speakers may prefer simpler constructions, but põhineks occurs in more careful or official contexts.

Etymology and formation: The form builds on the verbal stem põhine- and adds the customary Estonian conditional suffix -ks to indicate a hypothetical or non-real scenario. As a conditional form, põhineks typically governs a subordinate clause and aligns with a main clause that reflects a potential outcome, outcome unlikely to be realized, or a stated condition.

Usage notes: Põhineks is most at home in written Estonian, policy papers, legal language, or analytical texts where the author wants to describe conclusions or decisions that would be based on certain assumptions or data. It is used with non-past temporal reference and can take objects or complements that indicate the basis on which something would stand. The form can be paired with various subjects, depending on the sentence.

Examples:

- Kui see põhineks luureandmetel, võtaksime meetmeid. (If this would be based on intelligence data, we would take measures.)

- Uuring põhineks andmetel kogutud aastatel 2010–2015. (The study would be based on data collected in the years 2010–2015.)

See also: põhineb, põhineda (to base), põhinev (based).