Kuuldud

Kuuldud is an Estonian word meaning "heard" that functions as the past passive participle of the verb kuulda (to hear). It is commonly used as an attributive adjective to describe information, stories, or reports that have been heard rather than firsthand. For example, kuuldud jutt translates roughly as "a heard rumor" or, more naturally, "a rumor heard," and kuuldud teave means "information heard" or "hearsay" in context.

In usage, kuuldud indicates second-hand information and can carry a nuance of reliability depending on how it is framed. The form typically precedes the noun it modifies, as is standard for Estonian adjectives, and it agrees with the noun in number and case. Etymologically, kuuldud is formed from the stem kuul- (hear) with the participial ending -dud, yielding a non-finite adjectival form.

In everyday Estonian, speakers often convey hearsay with phrases like ma kuulsin (I heard) or see on kuuldud (this is said/it is reported) rather than relying on kuuldud as a standalone noun. Kuuldud thus functions primarily as a descriptive term for information or narratives that are not directly experienced by the speaker, helping to differentiate firsthand accounts from second-hand reports.