kestevaid

Kestevaid is an Estonian adjective form meaning “lasting” or “enduring.” It is the partitive plural form of the adjective kestev and is used to describe plural nouns in the partitive case, for example: kestevaid probleeme (“enduring problems”).

Etymology and morphology: The base kestev comes from the verb kestma, meaning “to last.” In Estonian, adjectives decline for number and case; kestevad is the nominative plural form, while kestevaid is the partitive plural form. The kestevaid form agrees with nouns in the partitive case and often signals an indefinite or partial extent of the described quality.

Usage: The term is common in both everyday Estonian and literary language to characterize traits, conditions, or processes that persist over time. It conveys durability or persistence without implying completeness. Typical collocations include kestevaid probleeme (enduring problems), kestevaid väljakutseid (enduring challenges), and kestevaid püüdlusi (ongoing efforts).

See also: Estonian grammar, Estonian adjectives, Partitive case.