Sätestama

Sätestama is an Estonian verb meaning to test or assess something by applying trials, measurements, or evaluations. The term is used in scientific, technical, educational, and quality-control contexts to describe the process of determining properties such as functionality, reliability, safety, or compliance with standards. In everyday language it can refer to trying out new methods, tools, or ideas to see how they perform.

Etymology and form. Sätestama is a native Estonian verb formed with the -ama infinitive suffix. It belongs to the group of regular -ama verbs, with standard inflection patterns. The infinitive is sätestama; the past participle is sätestanud and the present participle sätestav, among other formations. The usage is generally formal or semi-formal, and occurs alongside nouns for testing, such as katse (test) and hindamine (evaluation).

Usage notes. Sätestama is commonly contrasted with katsetama, which emphasizes trying out through experiments, and hindama, which emphasizes evaluation based on criteria. It appears in technical writing, lab reports, and quality-management procedures. In discourse, it describes how a protocol or procedure applies tests to verify a claim or to determine the properties of a subject, device, or method. The word is versatile across scientific, industrial, and educational registers, and can appear with various objects when detailing testing activities.