väiksemad

Väiksemad is an Estonian word that functions as the nominative plural form of the comparative adjective väike, meaning smaller. It is used before a plural noun to indicate that the referenced items are smaller in size or degree relative to another group or standard. In Estonian, adjectives agree with the noun in number and case, so väike has different endings depending on its role in the sentence; väiksemad is the standard form in the nominative plural.

Morphology and related forms: The base positive adjective is väike (small). Its comparative is väiksem (smaller), and the superlative is väikseim (smallest). When describing multiple nouns in the nominative case, the form is väiksemad. In other cases, the endings change to match the noun’s case and number; for example, genitive plural is väiksemate and partitive plural is commonly väiksemaid, depending on the noun and syntactic context.

Usage: Väiksemad is typically used to contrast groups or to identify a subset that is smaller than another. For example: Väiksemad lapsed mängisid pargis (The smaller children played in the park). It can also be used in comparative constructions such as Need on väiksemad majad kui teised (Those are smaller houses than the others).

Etymology: Väiksem comes from väike (small), with standard Estonian derivational processes forming the comparative and its plural inflections. Väiksemad thus belongs to a common pattern of Estonian adjectives that express comparison and agreement with plural nouns.

See also: väike, väikesed, comparative and superlative forms in Estonian grammar.