Eristada

Eristada is an Estonian verb meaning to distinguish, differentiate, or separate between things based on differences. It is used when identifying how things differ or when classifying them into categories. The sense is typically neutral or analytical, but in social contexts the related noun eristamine can carry a sense of discrimination, depending on tone and usage.

Grammatically, eristada is a transitive verb. In the present tense the forms are: ma eristan, sa eristad, ta eristab, me eristame, te eristate, nad eristavad. The past tense forms include eristasin, eristasid, eristas, eristasime, eristasite, eristasid. The future is usually expressed with periphrastic constructions such as hakkab eristama or hakkad eristama. The passive voice is eristatakse or eristatakse, depending on the construction.

Common derived forms include eristamine, the noun meaning the act or process of distinguishing or differentiating, and eristatav or eristatavus, meaning distinguishable or the quality of being distinguishable. The word eristada also appears in contexts such as data analysis, taxonomy, and linguistics, where one identifies differences between items or categories.

Etymology traces eristada to a stem erist-, related to the adjective erinev meaning different. It is cognate with Finnish erottaa, which also means to distinguish or separate.

See also: erinev, eristuv, eristatav, eristamine, eristavus.