Arvanud

Arvanud is the active past participle of the Estonian verb arvama, meaning to think or to suppose. It functions as a participle that expresses a completed mental action, roughly translating to “believed” or “thought” in English, depending on the context. It is used to indicate a belief or opinion that has been formed in the past.

In grammatical terms, arvanud is formed from the verb arvama by removing the -ma infinitive ending and adding -nud to yield the active past participle, which can be used with auxiliary be to form perfect aspect. As a participle, arvanud can appear in predicative positions (as part of a compound tense) or as an attributive modifier in sentences, describing something that has been believed or thought.

Common usage centers on reporting or reflecting a belief. A typical example is: Ma olen arvanud, et see on õige. (I have believed that this is right.) The form is part of standard Estonian grammar and appears in both written and spoken language, often in clauses that express hindsight, conjecture, or reported belief.

Etymology: arvanud is derived from the verb arvama, with the past participle suffix -nud, yielding a form that denotes a completed mental action. It is one of several participles in Estonian that enable nuanced expression of time and attitude within complex sentences.