üldine

Üldine is an Estonian adjective meaning general, universal, or broad in scope. It describes statements, rules, principles, or concepts that apply broadly rather than to a single case. In everyday language and in formal writing, it is used in phrases such as üldine arvamus (general opinion), üldine reegel (general rule), and üldine kasutus (general usage). In science and academia, üldine can denote a property or pattern that holds across many situations, as opposed to specific or exceptional instances.

The word comes from the Estonian root üld-, meaning common or widespread, combined with the adjective-forming suffix -ine. It is typically used attributively before a noun, e.g., üldine haridus (general education), üldine informatsioon (general information), or üldine probleem (general problem). The term is part of standard Estonian vocabulary and is found across domains including education, government, and journalism.

In contrast, eriline or spetsiifiline is used for special or specific cases. Phrases such as üldine tingimus versus eriline tingimus illustrate the contrast between general and specific usage. The concept of üldine often appears in discussions of general principles, overarching guidelines, and broad trends.

Translations: in English the equivalent is general; in Finnish yleinen; in German allgemein. The word is a common part of the standard Estonian lexicon and is widely understood by speakers of the language.