substantiivinä

substantiivinä is an Estonian grammatical case, the essive case. It is used to indicate the role, function, or state of a noun without it actually changing its identity. In essence, it describes what something is *as* or *in the capacity of*.

The essive case is formed by adding the suffix -na to the noun stem. For example, the Estonian word for "child" is laps. In the essive case, it becomes lapsena, meaning "as a child" or "in the capacity of a child." Similarly, if someone works as a teacher, they are a õpetaja, and in the essive case, it's õpetajana, meaning "as a teacher."

This case is often translated into English using prepositions like "as," "in the capacity of," or sometimes "like." It's distinct from other cases because it doesn't denote possession, direction, or a direct object, but rather a temporary or functional identity. For instance, one might say "ta töötab kokana," which translates to "he/she works as a cook." The noun "kokk" (cook) is in the essive case "kokana" to signify the role being performed.

The substantiivinä case is a fundamental aspect of Estonian grammar, allowing for nuanced expression of roles and states within a sentence. It's important for understanding the precise meaning of phrases and clauses in Estonian.