Käänud

Käänud is an Estonian word that functions as a past participle and as an adjective meaning “turned,” “bent,” or “twisted.” It is formed from the verb käänama, which means to turn or bend. In use, käänud describes the state of a noun after a turning action rather than the action itself.

Morphology and forms: In Estonian grammar, käänud appears as a short predicative participle and can modify nouns in attributive or predicative position. There are longer participial forms such as käänanud and käänatud that express aspects related to turning or completed turning, and these forms occur in different syntactic contexts. The exact choice of form can affect nuance, particularly regarding whether the turning is viewed as a process or as a completed result.

Meaning and usage: Käänud is typically applied to tangible objects or phenomena whose orientation or shape has changed due to turning. It serves to convey the result of a turning action rather than the act itself. In practice, it is used in descriptive or narrative prose to indicate a changed state, often in combination with a linking verb or as part of a compound predicate.

Relation to related forms: The root käänama (to turn/bend) gives rise to several participial forms, including käänud, käänanud, and käänatud, each carrying its own grammatical nuance. These forms are parts of standard Estonian morphology and are used according to tense, voice, and aspect requirements of the sentence.

See also: käänama, käänata, käänatud. Note that in formal grammar references, the longer participial forms are discussed alongside käänud, outlining their respective uses and nuances.