tõsisemate

Tõsisemate is an Estonian grammatical form, specifically the genitive plural of the comparative adjective tõsisem, meaning more serious. It is used when the adjective modifies a noun that appears in the genitive plural in a sentence. The form is not a separate word with its own meaning, but a declined form of the adjective.

Formation and grammatical role: The base adjective is tõsine (serious). Its comparative form is tõsisem (more serious). In the genitive plural, the ending becomes -ate, producing tõsisemate. This form is typically used before a noun in genitive plural, for example tõsisemate teemade, meaning “of more serious topics.” In other grammatical contexts, the nominative plural is tõsisemad, and other cases require different endings.

Usage: Tõsisemate is common in formal, analytical, or journalistic Estonian when contrasting seriousness levels or when describing more weighty or significant subjects. It often appears with nouns like teemad (topics), nõuded (requirements), varasemad/paremad equivalents depending on context. Examples include: Me arutlesime tõsisemate teemade üle. Ta rõhutas tõsisemate nõuete järgimist. Such usage helps convey a higher degree of seriousness or importance.

Related forms: The positive form is tõsine, the comparative is tõsisem, and the superlative is tõsisim. The phrase tõsisemate is one of several inflected possibilities that Estonian adjectives take to agree with case and number of the modified noun.

Notes: Tõsisemate is lowercase and part of standard Estonian grammar. Its core meaning relies on the comparative sense of tõsine, not on independent lexical content.