sõnaga

Sõnaga is an Estonian discourse particle meaning "in a word," "in short," or "to put it briefly." It is used to introduce a concise summary or conclusion of what has been said, similar in function to phrases like "in short" in English.

The word is formed from the noun sõna, meaning "word," with the comitative suffix -ga, which in Estonian often marks accompaniment or association. In this idiomatic use, the literal sense is not primary; the expression has a fixed meaning that signals brevity rather than a literal accompaniment of words.

Sõnaga is most common in spoken Estonian and in informal writing. It typically appears at the start of a clause or sentence that delivers the summary, but it can also occur mid-sentence as a way to pivot to a brief conclusion. In formal writing, more neutral alternatives such as lühidalt or kokkuvõttes are generally preferred.

Examples:

- Sõnaga, ta ei saanud tulla. (In short, he could not come.)

- Sõnaga, me peame kiiresti otsustama. (In a word, we must decide quickly.)

Notes:

- Ühe sõnaga is a closely related, even more explicit expression meaning "in one word."

- Sõnaga is best used in разговор language or informal prose; in formal contexts writers typically choose other formulations to convey brevity.

- The phrase is a fixed collocation rather than a freely inflected form, and its meaning relies on standard Estonian syntax and punctuation.