käitada

Käitada is an Estonian verb meaning to operate, run, or use a device, machine, or system; to cause something to function. It is used when a person directly controls or initiates the operation of equipment, tools, or processes. The sense is distinct from merely moving or guiding a person; it emphasizes the act of putting something into operation and keeping it running. In everyday language it may refer to turning on or starting a machine, as well as managing or operating it over a period of time.

In technical, industrial, and service contexts, käitada is common for equipment such as machines, engines, pumps, and computer systems. It can also appear in more abstract uses, such as handling a project or program, where "to run" a workflow or process is meant. The noun forms derived from it include käitamine, the act of operating something, and käitaja, the operator or controller.

The term is part of a broader vocabulary of operation and initiation in Estonian. While it can overlap with verbs describing movement, such as sõita or juhtima, käitada specifically emphasizes the operation of machinery or complex systems rather than mere locomotion.