toimetulekul

Toimetulekul is an Estonian grammatical form that expresses that something occurs during the handling or processing of a matter. It is built from the noun toimetulek, meaning the act of dealing with, managing, or coping with something, and the suffix -kul, which yields a temporal expression. In modern Estonian, toimetulekul appears primarily in formal, bureaucratic, or archival texts and is used to link events to the period when a matter is being processed.

Usage and function

Toimetulekul marks simultaneity with an ongoing administrative or procedural process. It helps specify that another event or decision takes place within the timeframe of handling documents, cases, or tasks. In practice, it can be paraphrased by more common phrases such as protsessi käigus or ajal protsessi, depending on the context. The form is mostly seen in written registers rather than everyday speech.

Etymology and form

The term derives from toimetulek, the base meaning of dealing with or managing, and the suffix -ul, which forms a temporal or locative expression. This construction parallels other Estonian forms that create time- or context-related meanings using suffixal derivation.

See also

Estonian grammar, toimetulek (the base noun meaning handling or dealing with something)

Note

Toimetulekul is a specialized, formal expression and may be unfamiliar outside of bureaucratic or archival contexts. Its precise acceptability and frequency can vary with genre and region.