sõnadel

Sõnadel is the plural adessive form of the Estonian noun sõna, meaning “words.” In Estonian grammar, the adessive case marks location or context, and its plural form is used when referring to multiple words collectively as a surface or topic. Thus sõnadel can be translated roughly as “on the words” or “at the words,” depending on the sentence.

In standard noun declension, the plural forms of sõna include:

- Nominative plural: sõnad

- Genitive plural: sõnade

- Partitive plural: sõnu

- Adessive plural: sõnadel

- Allative plural: sõnadele

The form sõnadel is most commonly encountered in statements about language, rhetoric, or textual material, and it often appears in idiomatic expressions such as “Sõnadel on jõud,” meaning “There is power in words.” This usage highlights how the plural adessive can foreground words as a subject or object of discussion.

Usage considerations include distinguishing between abstract discussion of words and concrete references to individual words. As with other Estonian noun forms, context decides whether sõnadel refers to location (“on the words”) or to a broader topic area centered on words and language. The form also interacts with verbs and prepositions that govern case in Estonian syntax, so learners should pay attention to surrounding elements to determine exact meaning.

See also Estonian grammar, noun declension, and the role of cases in expressing meaning in Estonian.