nimetavad

Nimetavad is the third-person plural present tense form of the Estonian verb nimetama, meaning to name or to call. As a finite verb, nimetavad describes an action in which multiple subjects designate or refer to someone or something by a name, nickname, or title. The sense can cover giving a designation, identifying with a label, or referring to someone by a specific name.

In usage, nimetavad requires a subject in the plural and an object that receives the naming or designation. For example, Nad nimetavad teda professoriks means “They call him a professor.” The same root yields other tenses and moods, such as nimetasid in the past tense (“you/they named him”) and nimetatakse in the passive-like form used for general statements (“it is called/named”).

Nimetama and its inflected forms are common in discourse about titles, roles, nicknames, or designations. It often appears where a group assigns a role or identifies someone by a particular label, whether temporarily or as a formal designation. Usage can also imply social or institutional contexts, such as naming someone the winner, a professor, or a leader.

Etymologically, nimetama stems from the Estonian noun nimi meaning name, with the verb form derived to express the act of naming. Related forms include nimeks (as a name), nimetus (designation or name), and nimetatud (named). The construction with -ks is typical when expressing designation or designation as a role.

See also: nimetama, nimi, nimeks, nimetus, nimetatud.