Estimer

Estimer is a French verb that means to estimate, to value, or to deem. It covers determining an approximate quantity, size, or cost, and it can also express a judgment about a person or idea, as in to regard someone as having a certain quality. The corresponding noun est​imation is used for the process or result of estimating.

Etymology: The verb derives from Old French estimer, itself from Latin aestimare “to value, assess, estimate.” The term has cognates in other Romance languages, such as estimar in Spanish and stimare in Italian.

Conjugation and usage: Estimer is a regular -er verb. Present tense forms are j'estime, tu estimes, il estime, nous estimons, vous estimez, ils estiment. The passé composé is formed with avoir: j'ai estimé. The imperfect is estimais, estimait, estimions, estimiez, estimaient. Subjunctive present: que j'estime, que tu estimes, qu'il estime, que nous estimions, que vous estimiez, qu'ils estiment. Imperative: estime, estimons, estimez. The verb is used in a variety of senses: to calculate an approximate cost or value (On estime le coût à environ 2 millions d'euros), to judge or deem (Elle l'estime capable), or to express a belief about something (On estime que les résultats seront positifs).

See also: estimation, valuation, appraisal. In practice, estimer is versatile and can denote numerical estimation, qualitative judgment, or a combination of both, depending on context.