Asutatud

Asutatud is the past passive participle of the Estonian verb asutama, meaning to establish or found. It denotes that something has been created or set up in the past and is commonly used to describe organizations, institutions, companies, settlements, or programs.

In usage, asutatud functions as a participial modifier or predicative complement. It agrees with the noun in number and case, similar to adjectives. Examples: asutatud ettevõte (a founded company), asutatud organisatsioonid (founded organizations). In sentences, it often appears with a copula or auxiliary, for instance: Ettevõte on asutatud 1990. aastal.

Etymology and form: asutatud is derived from the verb asutama (to found) with the past passive participle suffix -atud. This form is widely used in formal and historical writing to indicate that a founding event has taken place.

Related forms include the present active participle asutav (founding) and other participial derivatives built from asutama. The word can appear in various grammatical cases and numbers to modify nouns, or as part of a compound predicate with a form of olema (to be), such as “Ettevõte on asutatud.”

Notes: Asutatud is distinct from ongoing processes of founding; it marks completion of the act of founding. It is a neutral, factual term frequently encountered in encyclopedic, administrative, and historical texts.