Õppijatel

Õppijatel is the inessive plural form of the Estonian noun õppija, meaning “the learners” or “the students.” The base term õppija refers to a person who studies or learns, and is related to the verb õppima, “to learn.” The inessive plural ending -tel marks a location or topic, typically translated as “on the learners” or “among the learners.”

The form is used in educational and academic contexts to refer to groups of learners as a whole. It appears in sentences that describe conditions, rights, or actions involving learners, such as discussions about resources for õppijatel or policies affecting õppijatel. In everyday language, the singular counterpart is õppija, and related nominative plural is õppijad, while the genitive plural is õppijate.

Usage notes: õppijatel functions like a nominal phrase indicating a location or subject of a statement rather than a direct subject in the nominative. It is common in official texts, curricula, and analyses of learning environments. In Estonian, distinctions between õpilane and õppija are nuanced, with õpilane often referring to a pupil or student in a formal school setting, while õppija has a broader sense of a person who studies or learns, regardless of age or institution.

In summary, õppijatel denotes “the learners” in the inessive plural and is a standard form for discussing groups of learners within Estonian educational language.