hoolitse

Hoolitse is an Estonian verb meaning to take care of, to look after, or to be concerned about someone or something. It covers direct caregiving, maintenance tasks, and emotional concern, and it is widely used in everyday speech as well as in formal writing.

Infinitive: hoolitsema; Imperative singular: hoolitse!; Present tense forms include: hoolitsen (I take care), hoolitsed (you take care), hoolitseb (he/she takes care), hoolitseme (we take care), hoolitsete (you take care), hoolitsevad (they take care). The verb is built on the root hool-, with the suffix -itse- and the infinitive ending -ma. Related forms include the adjective hoolitsev meaning “caring” and the nouns hoolitsus or hoolitsemine for “care” or “caregiving.”

Usage and examples show its broad role in everyday language. Common phrases include: Hoolitse oma tervise eest (Take care of your health). Ta hoolitseb oma laste eest (He takes care of his children). Hoolitsege, et kõik oleks korras (Please ensure that everything is in order). In broader cultural contexts, care is associated with social responsibility and family duties, and the verb often appears in discussions of well-being, maintenance, and mutual aid.

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