sõbrale

Sõbrale is the Estonian allative/dative form of sõber, meaning “to a friend” or “for a friend.” It marks the indirect object, recipient, or beneficiary in a sentence. The singular form is sõbrale, and the plural form is sõpradele.

Formation and use: Estonian uses the suffix -le to form the allative/dative case, which expresses direction toward someone or benefit for someone. Therefore, sõber becomes sõbrale in the singular, and sõpradele in the plural.

Common usage: Sõbrale appears with verbs that involve giving, sending, or writing, among others. Examples include: Ma kirjutan sõbrale. (I am writing to a friend.) Ma annan raamatu sõbrale. (I give the book to a friend.) Ta saatis sõbrale kirja. (He sent a letter to a friend.) See on sõbrale kingitus. (This is a gift for a friend.)

Notes: The allative can convey both “to” and “for” depending on the context, aligning with recipient or beneficiary. In translation, it is often rendered as “to a friend” or “for a friend.” Sõbrale is a common, neutral construction in everyday Estonian for indicating the person who is intended to receive an action or the beneficiary of an act.