Suutsid

Suutsid is an Estonian verb form that expresses past ability. It is a finite past tense form of the verb suudama, which means to be able to or to manage to. Suutsid is used to indicate that someone could perform an action in a past context and is commonly found in narrative, reporting, and ordinary speech.

Usage and nuance: Suutsid denotes that a past capability was present, often in contrast to an inability implied by ei suutnud. The form aligns with the subject of the sentence, so its exact person and number depend on who is being described. In practice, suutsid appears in sentences such as those stating that someone could accomplish a task or handle a situation in the past.

Morphology and related forms: Suudama serves as the lemma. The past tense system of Estonian yields several related forms for different subjects, including ma suutsin (I could), sa suutsid (you could), ta suutis (he/she could), me suutsime (we could), te suutsid (you could), nad suutsid (they could). The exact spelling and form follow standard Estonian conjugation patterns for past tense verbs.

Examples:

- Ma suutsin lõpuni töötada. (I could work to the end.)

- Sa suutsid ülesande lahendada. (You could solve the task.)

- Nad suutsid edukalt esineda. (They could perform successfully.)

See also: Estonian verbs, suudama, past tense in Estonian, mood and aspect in Estonian grammar.

Suutsid is a small but clear example of how Estonian marks past ability within its rich system of tense and mood, without requiring auxiliary constructions.