Püüeldes

Püüeldes is the present adverbial participle form of the Estonian verb püüelda, meaning to strive, aim, or pursue. It denotes that the action of the main clause occurs while the subject is pursuing a goal. In English, it is often translated as “while pursuing” or “as one strives.”

Formation and use: Püüeldes is formed by adding the participial ending -des to the stem of the infinitive püüelda. As an adverbial participle, it introduces a circumstance for the main clause and is usually set off by a comma. The subject of the participle is understood to be the same as the subject of the main clause.

Examples:

- Püüeldes edu poole, jätkas ta tööd. (While pursuing success, he continued his work.)

- Püüeldes paremaid tulemusi, otsustas ta muuta strateegiat. (Seeking better results, he decided to change the strategy.)

Usage notes: The adverbial participle püüeldes is common in written Estonian, particularly in formal, literary, or journalistic contexts. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer finite subordinate clauses or other constructions to express the same idea. The form emphasizes the manner or circumstance of the action and can add a concise, stylistic tone to the sentence.

Related terms: The verb püüelda (to strive) is related to pürgima (to strive, to aspire) and to püüdlus (an effort, striving). The construction püüeldes can often be paraphrased with a subordinate clause beginning with kui or et, depending on the intended nuance.