iseloomustasid

Iseloomustasid is Estonian and serves as a past tense verb form meaning they described or characterized. It is the third-person plural past tense of the verb iseloomustada, which means to describe, characterize, or outline the features of someone or something. The form is commonly used when the subject of the sentence is a group or plural noun, such as nemad or inimesed.

Form and usage

The infinitive iseloomustada combines a base related to iseloom (character) with a verbal suffix to mean “to describe a character or feature.” In past narrative or analytic text, iseloomustasid functions as the natural past tense for plural subjects: Nad iseloomustasid romaani peategelase motiive or Nadis iseloomustasid selle töö iseloomu. The verb is part of everyday Estonian, appearing in literary criticism, journalism, academic writing, and informal descriptions of people, works, events, or phenomena.

Etymology and related forms

iseloomustada derives from iseloom (character) with the verbal suffix -ustada to form a verb meaning “to describe/characterize.” Related words include iseloomustus (characterization/description) and iseloomustamine (the act of describing or characterizing). These forms share the same root and are used across similar contexts to discuss traits, features, or characterizations.

Examples

- Kriitikud iseloomustasid teose peategelast mitmekülgsena. (The critics described the work’s protagonist as multifaceted.)

- Meie uuringus iseloomustasid nad olukorra peamised tunnused.

See also

Related terms: iseloomustus, iseloomustamine. The word remains a standard tool for expressing analysis, description, and characterization in Estonian prose.