kõndides

Kõndides is Estonian for the present adverbial participle form of the verb kõndima, meaning to walk. It expresses a secondary action that happens at the same time as the action in the main clause, and is commonly translated into English as "while walking" or "as I was walking."

Usage and function: Kõndides is a non-finite form used to provide circumstantial information about how something is done. It often appears in narrative or descriptive sentences to set the scene or describe manner. Examples include: Kõndides kuulsin linnahääli. (While walking, I heard the city sounds.) Ta helistas kõndides. (He called while walking.)

Relationship to other forms: The base verb is kõndima, meaning “to walk.” The word koosneb from the verb stem kõnd- plus the participial ending -ides. It is distinct from the noun form kõndimine (the act of walking) and from other participial forms that indicate different times or aspects. In usage, kõndides remains a participial adjunct, not a finite verb, and does not assign person or number.

Notes on style and applicability: Kõndides is well-suited to concise descriptive writing and is frequently found in both spoken and written Estonian. It helps to compress information about time and manner into a single clause, contributing to fluent narration without extra conjunctions. It is typically used when the concurrent action is relevant to the main clause and does not require a separate subject.