kasvatame

Kasvatame is the first-person plural present tense form of the Estonian verb kasvatama, which means to grow, to raise, or to cultivate. As a transitive verb, kasvatama requires a direct object and denotes actions performed by the speaker and others.

The verb covers several core senses. In agriculture and horticulture, kasvatame refers to growing plants or crops and tending to a garden or farm. In parenting and education, it means raising or educating children, or fostering development more generally. The sense can extend to cultivating skills, abilities, or values in people, as in educational or developmental contexts.

Related forms and terminology include kasvatus, the noun for upbringing or education; kasvatamine, the gerund meaning the act of growing or raising; and kasvatusala, the field or domain of education and upbringing. The concept of kasvu (growth) is etymologically connected, and kasvatama is cognate with Finnic languages’ terms for raising or cultivating, such as Finnish kasvattaa.

Usage note: Kasvatame implies collective action or involvement by the speaker and others. It contrasts with kasvada, which means to grow intransitively or to increase in size on its own. Examples of usage include sentences about raising children, growing crops, or fostering development: Me kasvatame lapsi; Me kasvatame köögivilju aiast; programm keskendub laste ja noorte kasvatamisele.