väheseid

Väheseid is an Estonian grammatical form used to express a small number of something. It represents the partitive plural form of the adjective meaning scarce or few and is used when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case. This form is common in contexts that emphasize an insufficient or limited amount.

In usage, väheseid typically appears with nouns in the partitive plural, often in sentences expressing that only a small quantity exists or is present. Examples include phrases like väheseid inimesi or väheseid raamatuid, meaning “a few people” or “a few books.” The exact meaning nuance is tied to the broader Estonian distinction between the partitive and other cases, where the partitive often conveys indefiniteness, quantity, or ongoing state.

Morphology and related forms are an important part of understanding väheseid. The word belongs to a family of forms derived from the adjective or quantifier meaning “few” or “scarce.” Another related form is vähesed, which is the nominative plural used when the noun is in the nominative case, such as in sentences like Vähesed inimesed on kohal (“A few people are present”). Distinctions between these forms help map quantity and case in Estonian grammar.

See also: väikene, vähe, vähene, vähesed.