Õrnalt

Õrnalt is an Estonian adverb meaning "gently" or "tenderly." It is formed from the adjective õrn ("tender, delicate") with the adverbial suffix -alt and is used to describe the manner of an action, indicating softness, care or mildness.

Pronunciation is typically rendered [ˈɤrnalt], with primary stress on the first syllable, reflecting standard Estonian prosody. As an adverb, õrnalt commonly modifies verbs (e.g., kõndima õrnalt — "to walk gently"), adjectives or other adverbs, and appears in both everyday speech and literary contexts.

Etymologically, õrn links to the Finnic vocabulary of emotional or tactile softness; the adverbial form follows a productive pattern in Estonian for creating manner adverbs. Synonyms and near-synonyms in Estonian include vaikselt ("quietly") or leebelt ("mildly"), while antonyms include karmilt ("harshly") and jõuliselt ("forcefully").

Typical uses range from physical descriptions (touching or moving gently) to figurative or emotional contexts (speaking gently, treating someone tenderly). The word features in idiomatic expressions and appears in contemporary song lyrics and poetry where a gentle or delicate tone is being conveyed.