pihustatakse

Pihustatakse is the Estonian present tense passive form of the verb pihustada, meaning to spray or to mist. It denotes that spraying is performed on a subject, with the agent often unspecified. In English, it can be translated as “is sprayed” or “is being sprayed.” The form is commonly used in technical, agricultural, cleaning, and industrial contexts.

Etymology and related forms: The verb pihustada comes from the stem pihustus, meaning spray or mist, with the infinitive suffix -da. The process noun is pihustamine, while pihustus refers to the spray itself. The passive form pihustatakse is a finite verb form indicating an action done to the object of the sentence.

Grammar and usage: Pihustatakse is a finite verb in the passive voice. The agent performing the spraying is often implicit or omitted in general statements. When the agent is specified, Estonian can express it with a phrase indicating the actor, but the standard usage remains passive and impersonal for general descriptions of spraying activity. The same form can refer to present actions or future actions depending on context, since Estonian does not have a dedicated future tense distinct from the present tense.

Contexts and examples: The form appears in instructions, safety texts, and reports about fields, greenhouses, or facilities where liquids are dispersed. Examples include taimekaitsevahendit pihustatakse taimedele (a plant protection product is sprayed onto the plants) or veega pihustatakse pindasid (surfaces are sprayed with water). It is also used in consumer contexts to describe spraying products such as cleaners or fragrances.

See also: pihustus, pihusti, pihustamine.