Avustama

Avustama is an Estonian verb meaning to help, to assist, or to provide aid. It denotes the act of giving support to another person or group in order to accomplish a task, alleviate difficulties, or enable actions. The term is commonly used in formal, institutional, or professional contexts, such as government programs, NGOs, healthcare, and education, where assistance is provided to individuals, organizations, or communities.

Usage: Avustama is a transitive verb describing financial, logistical, or administrative support, not only physical help. The recipient is typically expressed directly, for example: "Kohalik omavalitsus avustas kultuuriüritust" (The local government assisted the cultural event).

Comparison: A common everyday synonym is aitama (to help) or abistama; avustama tends to carry a more formal or institutional tone, especially when linked to subsidies or professional aid.

Etymology and related forms: The verb is derived from the noun avustus (assistance). It is related to Finnish avustaa and other cognates in Uralic languages.

Conjugation: Avustama is a regular -ama verb. In the present tense the forms include avustan, avustad, avustab, avustame, avustate, avustavad. Past tense forms are avustasin, avustasid, avustas, avustasime, avustasite, avustasid. The infinitive is avustama; the past participle is avustatud.

See also: aitama, abistama, avustus, abistamine.