Mõjutasid

Mõjutasid is an Estonian verb form: the past tense, third-person plural form of mõjutama (to influence, affect). It translates to "they influenced" in English and is used when the subject of the sentence is a group or multiple actors.

The verb mõjutama is transitive and commonly collocates with a direct object that represents what is being influenced, such as events, situations, opinions, or decisions. The noun mõju means influence or effect, and related terms include mõjuv (influential) and mõjutamine (influence, affecting). The past tense form mõjutasid typically appears with plural subjects in storytelling, reporting, or description of events in the past.

In usage, mõjutasid conveys that the actions of the subjects had an effect on something. For example: Nad mõjutasid olukorda vaieldamatu veendumusega; Nad mõjutasid valikut mitmel moel. The exact object case depends on grammatical needs, often using the partitive or accusative as dictated by Estonian case harmony.

Estonian verbs have various tense and mood forms, but mõjutasid specifically marks a completed influence by a plural subject in the past. Its present tense equivalents are mõjub (he/she/it influences) and mõjuvad (they influence). The noun mõju frequently appears in discussions of causation and impact, reflecting the core semantic link between influence and outcome.

See also: mõju, mõjutamine, mõjutama, influence in Estonian grammar.