seetõttu

Seetõttu is an Estonian adverb meaning "therefore" or "for that reason." It is used to indicate a consequence of a previous statement, similar to the English words "therefore," "thus," or "as a result."

Etymology and form: The word is a compound of the demonstrative pronoun see/see (that) and the suffix tõttu, which conveys the sense of cause or grounding. The combination emphasizes the result or conclusion that follows from what was stated earlier.

Usage: Seetõttu is relatively formal and common in written Estonian, including journalism, academic writing, and official communications, but it also appears in everyday speech. It typically marks the beginning of a clause that presents the consequence of a prior fact, and it is often preceded by a semicolon or comma. It is synonymous with selle tõttu or sel põhjusel and can be used interchangeably in many contexts. It contrasts with conjunctions like sest or kuna, which introduce the cause rather than the effect.

Example sentences: Ta jäi haigeks; seetõttu ei tulnud ta tööle. Tänav oli libe, seetõttu pidin ma aeglasemalt kõndima. These examples show how seetõttu links an antecedent fact to its outcome in a way that is clear and concise.

See also: selle tõttu, sel põhjusel, sest, kuna. Seetõttu remains a common tool for signaling logical consequence in Estonian prose and formal speech.