Töötaks

Töötaks is the third-person singular present conditional form of the Estonian verb töötama, meaning “to work.” It is used to express hypothetical or contingent action and is most common in subordinate clauses, often following kui (if). In English, töötaks translates roughly to “would work” or “would operate.”

Formation and grammar notes: The form is created from the verb stem tööt- with the conditional ending -aks, yielding töötaks. It represents the present conditional mood, used to describe an action that would take place under a certain condition or in hypothetical scenarios. Other persons and numbers have their own conditional forms, such as toimivad variants in corresponding contexts, but töötaks specifically marks the third-person singular.

Usage and examples: Töötaks appears in sentences describing what would happen if conditions were different. For example: Kui see plaan töötaks, saaksime lahendada probleemi kiiresti. Translation: If this plan would work, we could solve the problem quickly. Another example: Ta ütles, et see plaan töötaks, ta oleks rahul. Translation: He said that this plan would work, he would be satisfied. In practice, töötaks contrasts with the present indicative töötab (he/she/it works), highlighting hypothetical or contingent meaning rather than a current fact.

Relation to other forms: Töötaks is part of a broader conditional system in Estonian. It differs from töödaksin or töötaksid, which align with different subject persons (first or second person) in the conditional. The form’s primary function remains expressing hypothetical outcomes rather than stating something as an actual, present action.

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