Võrdletakse

Võrdletakse is an Estonian verb form that expresses the passive present tense and means “is/are compared.” It is the present passive form of võrdlema, the verb meaning to compare. The construction is commonly used in descriptive, analytical, and scholarly writing to indicate that a comparison has been or is being made without naming the agent performing the comparison.

Form and usage are typical of Estonian passive verbs: the stem võrdle- takes the passive ending -takse, producing võrdletakse. The subject of the sentence is not always specified; the focus is on the action of comparing rather than who performs it. Võrdletakse can be used with various nouns in the nominative or with phrases that specify what is being compared, such as data, results, methods, or theories. For example, Need andmed võrdletakse erinevate meetoditega means “The data are compared with different methods.” Similarly, Kui need väärtused võrdletakse, viitavad laused may describe a step in a procedure where values are being compared.

Etymology and related forms: võrdletakse is derived from võrdlema, linked to võrdne (equal) and võrdlus (comparison). Related forms include the active võrdleb (he/she/it compares) and the noun võrdlus (comparison). The term is typical of formal Estonian and is widely used in scientific, statistical, and literary contexts to present comparative statements without specifying the actor.

See also: võrdlema, võrdlus, võrdne.

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