põletada

Põletada is an Estonian verb meaning to burn or ignite. It describes making something burn with flame, to set something on fire, or to incinerate. The word also appears in nonliteral uses, such as burning calories or energy, and in phrases related to heating or fuel consumption. In everyday language it covers both physical burning (for example lighting a fire or burning fuel) and figurative or technical senses (for instance burning data to a disc).

Usage and grammar notes: Põletada is primarily used as a transitive verb, taking a direct object that is burned or ignited. It can also occur in intransitive constructions in which the subject is on fire or the burning is described as ongoing, often in compounds or with related verbs such as põlema. The verb participates in common collocations such as lighting or burning items, burning fuel, or burning calories.

Derived forms and related words: The noun forms include põletamine (the act of burning or incineration) and põletus (a burn, burn injury). The root also appears in related words such as põletik, meaning inflammation, reflecting the old association between heat, burning, and inflammatory sensation. Põletada is widely used in everyday language as well as in technical contexts (for example, burning a CD or DVD, commonly expressed as põletada CD-d).

Etymology and cognates: Põletada is a native Finnic verb. It has cognates in other Finnic languages; for example, Finnish polttaa means to burn, reflecting a shared Proto-Finnic heritage.

See also: Põlema (to catch fire or be on fire) and related forms such as põletamine, põletus, and põletik.