võrdlevates

Võrdlevates is a grammatical form in Estonian, the inessive plural form of the adjective võrdlev, meaning "comparative" or "relational." It is used when the adjective modifies a plural noun in the inessive case, typically in contexts describing conditions or situations in which comparisons are made. The form derives from the root võrdlev and follows standard Estonian adjective inflection patterns, which require agreement with the noun in number and case.

In usage, võrdlevates appears most often in academic, descriptive, or comparative prose. For example, in a sentence like "võrdlevates olukordades" (in comparative situations) or "võrdlevate omaduste analüüs" (analysis of comparative features). It can also occur in scientific writing to compare several items or categories.

The meaning conferred by this form is strictly grammatical: it marks the adjective as modifying a plural noun in the inessive case, signaling location or context within a comparative frame. Learners of Estonian should note that the exact ending of adjectives aligns with the noun they modify, so võrdlevates will appear whenever the noun is plural and inessive.

See also: Estonian adjective inflection, Estonian grammar, comparative degree, võrdlus.