Mõistavad

Mõistavad is the Estonian verb mõistma in the third-person plural present tense, meaning "they understand" or "they comprehend." It is used with plural subjects to describe understanding of information, language, situations, or feelings.

Infinitive of the verb is mõistma. Present tense forms include: ma mõistan, sa mõistad, ta mõistab, me mõistame, te mõistate, nad mõistavad. The stem is mõist-, and the endings indicate person and number. The negative form is formed with ei: nad ei mõista.

Etymology and related forms: Mõistma is a native Estonian verb. Related words include mõistmine (understanding), mõistus (intellect, mind), and mõistlik (reasonable, sensible). The verb is often contrasted with aru saama, another common verb for “to understand,” where mõistma emphasizes cognitive understanding or logical grasp, while aru saama can carry nuances of realization or general insight.

Usage notes: Mõistma commonly governs direct objects that specify what is understood, such as languages, concepts, or explanations. In questions, the structure remains straightforward: Kas nad mõistavad? (“Do they understand?”). The form mõistavad can be found with plural subjects in a variety of contexts, from everyday conversation to formal writing.

Examples:

- Nad mõistavad inglise keelt. (They understand English.)

- Nad mõistavad, miks see juhtus. (They understand why this happened.)

- Nad ei mõista seda olukorda. (They do not understand this situation.)