põhipõhjuse

Põhipõhjuse is an Estonian noun that literally translates to "main reason" or "primary reason." It is used to denote the principal cause or underlying factor behind an event, decision, or phenomenon. The word is composed of two parts: põhi, meaning "foundation" or "basis," and põhjus, meaning "reason" or "cause." Together they emphasize the central or most fundamental reason among a set of possible explanations.

In everyday Estonian, põhipõhjuse is often employed in discussions where multiple influences exist but one is considered the dominant or decisive factor. For example, a tourist might say: "Põhipõhjuse meie tervinud küteldõlbele oli kehva sissetungivõrk," translating as "The main reason for our power outage was a faulty contact cable." In legal or academic texts, the term can be used to describe the core justification for a rule, law, or scientific hypothesis.

The concept aligns with analogous terms in other languages: English "main reason," German "Hauptgrund," French "raison principale." Its usage is neutral and descriptive, avoiding value judgments unless context demands it. Põhipõhjuse can appear in singular or plural forms (põhipõhjus), and when combined with other Estonian case endings it can serve various grammatical roles, such as in genitive (põhipõhjuse) or instrumental (põhipõhjust). As a term, it remains common in both written and spoken Estonian discourse, particularly in analytical or explanatory contexts.