õhtuks

Õhtuks is the translative form of the Estonian noun õhtu, meaning evening. It is used to indicate that something should be completed, prepared, or occur by the evening, or to set a deadline for that time. In this use, õhtuks can be translated as “by evening” or “for the evening.” The form is created by adding the translative suffix -ks to õhtu.

Grammatically, -ks marks the translative case, which expresses a change of state or a point in time by which something is expected to happen. Õhtuks thus indicates a target time or deadline rather than a specific moment spoken of as happening at the evening.

Common usage examples include:

- Toit peab olema valmis õhtuks. (The food must be ready by the evening.)

- Projekt tuleb valmis saada õhtuks. (The project must be completed by the evening.)

- Koosolek toimub õhtuks. (The meeting takes place by the evening.)

Pronunciation is roughly [ˈɤhtuks], with stress on the first syllable; the initial vowel õ is a close back unrounded vowel characteristic of Estonian.

Etymology traces the word to õhtu (evening) combined with the translative suffix -ks. It is a standard temporal expression in Estonian, widely used in both spoken and written language for planning and scheduling.