Paigutati

Paigutati is an Estonian verb form derived from the verb paigutama, meaning to place or arrange. It functions as the past tense in the passive voice, used to describe actions where the subject is acted upon rather than performing the action. In Estonian, this form does not encode person or number, so paigutati can translate as “it was placed” or “they were placed” depending on context.

Morphology and grammar: The form consists of the stem paigut- plus the suffix -ati, which marks the past passive. The agent performing the action is often omitted, but when specified it can be expressed with a phrase using the verb in the agent position or with the word poolt (by). The construction is typical in formal or written Estonian, including administrative, archival, and technical texts.

Usage: Paigutati appears in descriptions of processes, arrangements, or reclassifications in the past. It is common in documentation, data-entry records, and news or reports that describe actions carried out on objects or information by an agent not explicitly named in the sentence.

Etymology and related forms: Paigutati comes from paigutama, with related forms such as paigutamine (the act of placing), paigutus (placement or arrangement). Other derivations include paigutaja (the placer or arranger). These forms share the same root related to the concept of placing or positioning.

See also: Estonian verb conjugation, paigutamine, paigutus, paigutaja.

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