eelistama

Eelistama is an Estonian verb meaning to prefer or, in some contexts, to elect or nominate. The primary sense is to indicate a preference for one option over another. It is a transitive verb and takes a direct object that represents what is preferred.

In everyday language, eelistama is used to express personal choice. Examples include: "Ma eelistan teed kohvi asemel" (I prefer tea to coffee) and "Ta eelistaks paremat aega" (He would prefer a better time). The verb conjugates like other -ama verbs: ma eelistan, sa eelistad, ta eelistab, me eelistame, te eelistate, nad eelistavad. Past and conditional forms are formed similarly to other verbs: eelistasin, eelistasid, eelistaksin, etc.

In more formal or political contexts, eelistama can convey selection or nomination of a person for a position, though this sense is often expressed with related phrases or other verbs such as valima. For example, one might say that a candidate is eelistatud (preferred/elected) or that a decision was to eelistada a particular option.

Notes on usage: eelistama typically governs a concrete object representing the preferred item or person. The verb can be used with phrases like "kõige" to express stronger preference (e.g., "eelistan kõige paremat varianti"). It is common to compare options using the structure "X eelistab Y asemel Z" (X prefers Z instead of Y).

See also: eelistus (preference), valima (to choose, to vote for).