Õppijaid

Õppijaid is the partitive plural form of the Estonian noun õppija, meaning “learners” or “students.” The term refers to a person who learns, regardless of age or educational level, and may include those who study informally, participate in online courses, or attend formal schooling.

Grammatical notes: Õppija is formed from the verb õppima (to learn) with the agent suffix -ja. The plural nominative is õppijad, the genitive plural is õppijate, and the partitive plural is õppijaid, used when the object of a sentence is in the partitive or when referring to an unspecified quantity of learners.

Usage: The term is broader than õpilane (pupil or student) and can describe anyone engaged in learning, including adults in continuing education or distance learning. It appears in educational contexts, policy discussions, and descriptions of study communities. In everyday Estonian, both õppija and õpilane are common, with õppija emphasizing the activity of learning rather than a specific school setting.

Examples: Meie koolis on palju õppijaid. Täna kohtasin õppijaid veebikursuselt. Õppijaid koheldakse erinevate õppevahendite ja meetoditega, mis sobivad mitmekesises haridusrežiimis.