sõpra

Sõpra is the partitive singular form of the Estonian noun sõber, which means “friend.” The noun sõber is a native Estonian word used to refer to a person with whom one has a close, friendly relationship. In Estonian grammar, nouns inflect for case and number, so sõpra appears in contexts that call for the partitive singular.

In addition to sõpra, the other common forms of sõber in the singular are nominative sõber and genitive sõbra, while the plural forms are nominative sõbrad, genitive sõprade, and partitive plural sõpru. The partitive case is often used to indicate an indefinite quantity or as the object of certain verbs and constructions, especially with numbers or in negative clauses.

Usage notes and examples:

- Ma nägin ühte sõpra. (I saw a friend.) This sentence uses the partitive singular sõpra after the numeral one.

- Mul on palju sõpru. (I have many friends.) This demonstrates the partitive plural form, illustrating related inflection.

Sõpra as a word therefore functions primarily as a grammatical form of sõber in the partitive singular, occurring in everyday Estonian when the speaker is referring to a non-specified amount or a direct object in partitive constructions. The base dictionary sense remains “friend.”