haavab

Haavab is an Estonian verb form meaning "wounds" or "is wounding." It is the third-person singular present indicative form of the verb haavama, which means to wound, injure, or harm. The infinitive haavama belongs to the regular -ama verb class, and haavab follows the standard present-tense pattern for this class. In typical sentences, haavab takes a direct object in the accusative case, as in “Ta haavab kedagi” (“He wounds someone”). The form is used for both literal physical injury and metaphorical harm, such as emotional damage or other non-literal injuring.

Etymology and usage: Haavab derives from the Estonian noun haav, meaning a wound. The connection between the noun and the verb is a common pattern in Estonian vocabulary, where the concept of a wound extends to the action of causing one. The word appears in everyday speech, literature, and journalism, and is governed by standard Estonian punctuation and syntax. It can appear in various registers from neutral to formal.

Grammar notes: Negative sentences use ei: “Ta ei haava kedagi.” The form accommodates different subjects and numbers by applying the usual Estonian subject–verb agreement rules for the present tense of -ama verbs. In addition to its literal sense, haavab is frequently used in metaphorical contexts to describe emotional or psychological harm.

See also: haav (wound); haavama (to wound); Estonian verbs in the -ama class.