Tegevusõna

Tegevusõna, also known as a verb, is a fundamental part of speech in Estonian grammar. It expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. Verbs are essential for forming complete sentences and conveying meaning. In Estonian, tegevusõnad are conjugated to indicate tense, mood, person, and number, allowing for a precise expression of when and by whom an action is performed. For example, the verb "tegema" (to do) can be conjugated as "teen" (I do), "tegid" (they did), or "teeb" (he/she/it does).

There are several categories of tegevusõnad in Estonian, including transitive and intransitive verbs. Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning, such as in the sentence "Ma loen raamatut" (I am reading a book), where "raamatut" is the direct object. Intransitive verbs, on the other hand, do not take a direct object, as in "Laps magab" (The child sleeps). Estonian verbs also have different forms for active and passive voice, though the passive voice is less common and often expressed using other grammatical constructions. Understanding the conjugation and usage of tegevusõnad is crucial for mastering Estonian.