sügavamaks

Sügavamaks is an Estonian grammatical form, not a standalone word. It is the translative form of the comparative adjective sügav, meaning that it denotes a change of state toward a deeper or more profound degree. In English, it can be rendered as “to become deeper” or “deeper,” depending on the context.

In Estonian grammar, sügav is the basic adjective meaning deep. Its comparative form is sügavam, meaning deeper. When used to express a change of state, the comparative form takes the translative suffix -aks, producing sügavamaks. This form is commonly used with verbs that indicate becoming or turning into something of a certain quality, such as muutuma (to become). For example, "Tema arusaam muutus sügavamaks" translates as "Her understanding became deeper," and "Pilt muutus sügavamaks" means "The picture became deeper/ more profound."

Usage notes include that sügavamaks appears in formal or literary registers and can be combined with other words to form phrases like "sügavamaks kui enne" (deeper than before) to establish a comparison. It is not employed as a noun or standalone adverb; rather, it functions as a finite verb complement to describe a shift in depth or thoroughness.

Etymologically, sügavamaks is built from the root sügav (deep), the comparative ending -vam, and the translative suffix -aks, signaling a change of state. It sits within the broader system of Estonian adjectives and their inflection patterns and should be distinguished from the adverb süvalt (deeply) in related but different constructions.