sõltuvaid

Sõltuvaid is an Estonian word form derived from the adjective sõltuv, which means dependent or addicted. It is not a standalone noun; rather, it is the plural partitive or accusative form used when the noun it modifies is plural and not in the nominative case.

In usage, sõltuv can describe people, objects, or situations that rely on something else or are under the influence of a substance or condition. In formal contexts, the related noun sõltuvus denotes the state of dependence or addiction. The term sõltuv is therefore versatile, appearing in both everyday discussion of dependence and in more technical discussions of dependency or addiction.

Grammatically, sõltuvaid appears with plural nouns in the partitive or accusative plural. For example:

- sõltuvaid inimesi (dependent people)

- sõltuvaid lapsi (dependent children)

The corresponding nominative plural is sõltuvad, as in sõltuvad inimesed. Other inflected forms exist for genitive, illative, and other cases, matching Estonian grammar rules for adjectives.

Contextual nuance is important: in medical or sociological language, more specific terms such as sõltuvus (addiction/dependence) or sõltlane (an addictive person) may be preferred. Sõltuvaid, by itself, functions as an inflected adjective form and gains precise meaning only when paired with a noun.