istraivati

Istraivati is a verb used in several South Slavic languages, notably Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, and Montenegrin. It means to conduct an investigation or research, typically in a systematic way, in order to uncover information, verify facts, or gain new knowledge. The sense covers academic inquiry as well as practical investigation in fields such as journalism, science, business, and public administration.

In standard usage, istraivati is imperfective, emphasizing ongoing or repeated action, such as researchers continually examining data. Its perfective counterpart is istražiti, which expresses the completion of the act of finding out or discovering something. The verb often appears in phrases like istraživati podatke (to investigate data), istraživanje (the act of investigating or research), and istraživač (investigator or researcher).

Common domains for the term include academic research, market research, investigative journalism, and forensic or compliance work. In journalism, for example, istraživanje or investigative reporting involves gathering sources, documents, and data to establish facts and present findings.

Etymology traces istraivati to the root istra- with the typical Slavic verb suffix -ivati, related to the noun istraživanje (investigation) and to the perfective verb istražiti (to investigate). Cognates appear across related languages, reflecting a shared semantic core of seeking knowledge through examination and inquiry. See also investigation, research, investigative journalism, market research, and data analysis.