sotsiaalset

Sotsiaalset is an Estonian adjective form meaning social, and it is the partitive singular form of the base adjective sotsiaalne. In Estonian, adjectives agree with the noun they modify in number and case, and sotsiaalset appears specifically when the noun is in the partitive case. This form is common in everyday language as well as in academic writing.

Usage and scope: The word is used to describe phenomena, processes, objects, or concepts related to society and human interaction. It can modify a wide range of nouns in the partitive: for example, sotsiaalset mõju (social impact), sotsiaalset elu (social life), or sotsiaalset õiglust (social justice). In plural contexts the corresponding form is different, such as sotsiaalseid, which marks plural partitive. The construction is frequent in discussions of sociology, political science, and public policy, as well as in media reporting about social issues.

Grammar notes: Sotsiaalset is one of several inflected forms of sotsiaalne. The base form sotsiaalne appears in nominative positions, while other cases yield different endings. Estonian adjectives do not mark gender, so form variation is driven by case and number, not by the noun’s gender.

Related terms and etymology: The adjective sotsiaalne is part of a family of terms denoting societal or communal aspects. It derives from international vocabulary for social concepts, adapted through Estonian morphology, and is used alongside related terms such as sotsiaalteadus (sociology) and sotsiaalse arengu (social development).