väikestele

Väikestele is an Estonian linguistic form derived from the adjective väike, meaning small. It is used as an allative plural form, typically to indicate the recipients or beneficiaries of an action, and is commonly interpreted as “to the little ones” or “for the little ones.” In practice, väikestele often appears in contexts where the noun it refers to is understood or omitted, such as when talking about children or other small recipients.

Grammatical note: Estonian adjectives decline to agree with the noun they modify in number and case. The allative case, expressed with the suffix -le, marks direction toward or benefit for someone, and when used with plural referents of väike, the form becomes väikestele. The phrase is frequently found in sentences describing gifting, care, or communication directed at children or other young or small beings. Because the noun being referred to is often omitted, väikestele can function as a stand-alone determiner in elliptical expressions.

Common usage: väikestele is typically found in phrases such as “kingitused väikestele” (gifts for the little ones) or “jagame maiustusi väikestele” (we share sweets with the little ones). It is more likely to appear in written Estonian, in contexts involving children, education, or family settings, but it can also appear in spoken language.

See also: Estonian grammar, allative case, adjectives in Estonian, noun phrase ellipsis.