Säilitab

Säilitab is a form of the Estonian verb säilitama, meaning to preserve, maintain, keep in storage, or safeguard. It is the third-person singular present indicative form, used to describe that a subject preserves or keeps something in its current state.

In usage, säilitab covers a broad range of contexts, from physical preservation to abstract maintenance. It can refer to keeping objects in good condition, preserving data or information, and maintaining traditions, practices, or standards. Examples include: Organisatsioon säilitab ajaloolisi dokumente (The organization preserves historical documents); Ta säilitab kooli traditsioone (He preserves school traditions); Ettevõtted säilitavad andmeid turvaliselt (Companies store data securely).

Säilitab is commonly complemented by a direct object that denotes what is being preserved, with typical Estonian word order and case endings that align with standard verb usage. The infinitive form of the verb is säilitama, and related forms include säilitab (present tense, 3rd person singular) and säilitavad (present tense, 3rd person plural). The past tense is säilitas, and the passive participle is säilitatud, used to describe items that have been preserved.

The term appears in both everyday language and more specialized domains such as archive management, data preservation, cultural heritage, and quality control, where the act of keeping, protecting, or prolonging the usefulness or existence of something is central. See also säilitama and related expressions that describe preservation, guarding, and storage.