õigusena

Õigusena is the Estonian form of the noun õigus meaning “as a right” or “in the capacity of a right.” It expresses that something is to be regarded, recognized, or treated as a right under law or normative standards. The sense is tied to entitlement or legal status, rather than to mere fact.

Grammar and formation: the word is created by adding the suffix -na to the stem õigus, producing a form that denotes role or status. In Estonian, the -na form is used to express “as” or “in the capacity of,” similar to other nouns that describe roles (for example, õpetajana “as a teacher”). Thus õigusena functions as a nominal phrase indicating the status of something as a right.

Usage: Õigusena is most common in legal, constitutional, and normative prose. It is used when a provision, claim, or status is discussed as a right rather than as a simple fact or obligation. It often appears with verbs such as käsitletakse “is treated,” kehtib “is in force,” or other language that frames entitlements under law. It can also appear in phrases like “Nõue, mida käsitletakse õigusena …” (A claim viewed as a right …).

Example: Kohtuotsuses rõhutatakse, et teatud varaline nõue on õigusena kaitstud. (In the court ruling it is emphasized that a certain monetary claim is protected as a right.)

See vorm signals a formal, legal sense of status. It is typically found in official or scholarly texts rather than everyday speech and is related to, but distinct from, other forms such as the genitive õiguse or adjectives like õiguspärane.