hoolitsesin

Hoolitsesin is the first-person singular past tense form of the Estonian verb hoolitsema, meaning “I took care” or “I cared for.” It is used to describe a completed act of looking after someone or something, including caring for a person, animal, health, or a responsibility. The form commonly appears in narrative or personal accounts.

Etymology and grammar: Hoolitse­ma means to take care or look after. The past tense first-person singular form is created from the stem hoolitse- with the suffix -sin, yielding hoolitsesin. Estonian verbs in past tense inflect for person, so hoolitsesin explicitly indicates “I.” The subject is typically derived from context, as subject pronouns are often omitted in Estonian.

Usage and examples:

- Ma hoolitsesin tema eest. (I took care of him/her.)

- Eile hoolitsesin oma tervise eest. (Yesterday I took care of my health.)

- Ta hoolitses hästi. (He/She cared well.)

Notes: Hoolitsesin is part of a broader verbal paradigm that includes present tense hoolitsema (infinitive) and present forms like hoolitseen/hoolitseb, as well as other past forms such as hoolitses (he/she took care). The expression can be literal, referring to physical care, or figurative, indicating attention or consideration given to a matter.

See also: hoolitsema, Estonian verbs, Estonian grammar.