põhjustati

Põhjustati is the past passive perfective form of the Estonian verb "põhjustama," which translates to "to cause" or "to be caused." This grammatical form indicates that an action was completed in the past, and the subject of the sentence was the recipient of that action, rather than the performer. It signifies that something happened to the subject, and the cause is either implied, unknown, or less important than the result.

For example, in the sentence "Haigus põhjustati viiruse poolt" (The illness was caused by a virus), "põhjustati" shows that the illness is the subject and it underwent the action of being caused. The "poolt" (by) phrase specifies the agent, the virus. Without the agent, the sentence "Kahju põhjustati" (Damage was caused) would still be grammatically correct, implying that damage occurred, but the source might be unstated.

The past passive perfective form is frequently used when the focus is on the outcome or the affected entity rather than on who or what initiated the action. This is common in news reports, historical accounts, or when describing events where the agent is not the primary concern. Understanding "põhjustati" is crucial for comprehending passive voice constructions in Estonian, allowing for a nuanced understanding of how events are described and attributed.