Õpetajatel

Õpetajatel is an Estonian noun form: the plural adessive case of the word õpetaja, meaning teacher. It literally conveys “to the teachers” or “at the teachers,” depending on the context, and is commonly used to indicate the owner or the group involved in a statement with the verb olema (to be, to have) or in locative expressions.

In sentences with the copula on (has/have), õpetajatel marks the group that possesses something, while the thing possessed is typically in the partitive form. For example: Õpetajatel on palju tööd. translates as “The teachers have a lot of work.” Here the teachers are the possessor, and tööd is in the partitive.

Usage notes: Õpetajatel can denote location or association with the teachers, as in “There is discussion among the teachers” (with a context indicating location/association). For expressing direction toward the group, the allative form õpetajatele is used, as in Ma annan need kingitused õpetajatele. (I am giving these gifts to the teachers.)

Related forms include:

- Genitive plural: õpetajate (the teachers’)

- Allative plural: õpetajatele (to the teachers)

- Adessive singular/plural: õpetajal / õpetajatel (on the teacher / on the teachers)

- Partitive plural: õpetajaid (some teachers)

See also common verb constructions with on to express possession or existence, and other case forms of the noun õpetaja for different grammatical roles.

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