tahtlikuks

Tahtlikuks is the translative form of the Estonian adjective tahtlik, which means intentional or deliberate. In Estonian grammar, the translative mood or case -ks is used to express a change of state, so tahtlikuks literally conveys “into a state of being intentional.” The form is gender-neutral and used with nouns, adjectives, and verbs to show transformation or attainment of a new characteristic.

In usage, tahtlikuks often appears with verbs of becoming, such as saama (to become) or muutuma (to change into). For example, ta on tahtlikuks saanud would be translated as “he has become intentional,” and tahtlikuks muutmine refers to the act of making something deliberate. The construction is common in formal, analytical, or philosophical writing when discussing intentionality, volition, or deliberate action. It can also occur in discussions of behavior, decision-making, or ethics where the emphasis is on a change toward greater intentionality or purposefulness.

Related forms include tahtlikkus, a noun meaning intentionality or voluntariness, which denotes the state or quality itself rather than the act of becoming it. The adjective tahtlik, used in its base form, is often found in descriptive contexts, while tahtlikuks is specifically tied to transformation into the state described by tahtlik.

Overall, tahtlikuks is a specialized grammatical tool in Estonian for describing a shift toward intentionality, most frequently encountered in written or formal discourse rather than everyday speech.