tühjaks

Tühjaks is the translative form of the Estonian adjective tühi, meaning “empty.” In Estonian grammar, the translative case expresses a change of state, so tühjaks is used to describe becoming or turning into something empty. It functions as a predicative complement in constructions with verbs of becoming or making, rather than as an independent adverb.

Common uses include sentences such as “Pudel sai tühjaks” (The bottle became empty) and “Kast sai tühjaks” (The box became empty). The causative construction “tühjaks tegi” means “to make something empty,” for example “Ta tegi kasti tühjaks” (He made the box empty). The form is versatile and appears in both spoken and written Estonian.

Etymology: tühjaks is formed from the adjective tühi with the translative suffix -aks, a standard way to denote a transition to a new state in Estonian.

Notes: Tühjaks is primarily a predicative form used after verbs of change. It does not function as a general adverb; its role is to indicate the result of a process that leaves something empty. In daily language, speakers may also use related constructions like “tühjaks saanud” to express “has become empty.”

See also: Estonian grammar, translative case, tühi.