heidutavad

Heidutavad is a form in the Estonian language. It is the third-person plural present tense form of the verb heidutada, which is commonly glossed as to intimidate, deter, or discourage. The construction shows that multiple subjects perform the action in the present time.

In terms of morphology, -vad marks the present tense for the third-person plural in Estonian, so heidutavad combines the verb stem with this suffix. The subject is usually expressed by the pronoun nad (they) or inferred from context. The form is productive and appears in everyday speech as well as in written Estonian.

Usage of the form typically indicates an action carried out by multiple subjects toward another party. It can be found in contexts ranging from conflict, competition, or coercive situations to metaphorical uses such as intimidating opponents, critics, or institutions. Negative or modal constructions are formed with the standard Estonian negation ei, as in nad ei heiduta kedagi (they do not intimidate anyone).

Examples:

- Nad heidutavad oma vastaseid. (They intimidate their opponents.)

- Nad ei heiduta kedagi. (They do not intimidate anyone.)

Linguistic notes: heidutavad provides a clear illustration of Estonian agreement and tense marking, where subject plurality is encoded in the verb form rather than solely by separate pronouns. The infinitive form is typically heidutada, from which the present plural form derives. See also Estonian verbs, verb conjugation patterns, and the -vad present-tense ending.