pühkida

Pühkida is an Estonian verb meaning to sweep or wipe. It refers to clearing a surface by brushing or wiping away dust, dirt, or moisture. The action can be performed with a broom, a cloth, or another implement and applies to floors, furniture, or clothing. The term covers both cleaning actions (sweeping or wiping) and the removal of light debris from objects.

Etymology: The word is native Estonian and belongs to the Finnic language family; it has cognates in Finnish, such as pyyhkiä, meaning to wipe or clean. The Estonian form pühkida demonstrates regular sound correspondences within Finnic languages and reflects Proto-Finnic roots.

Usage and nuance: Pühkida is used for both physical cleaning tasks and, in some contexts, for clearing away more generally. It is typically transitive with a direct object, for example dust (tolm) or floor (põrand). In everyday language it can appear in phrases like to wipe dust off a table or to sweep the floor.

Grammar: Pühkida is a regular Estonian verb of the -ida class. Like other verbs in this class, it forms present, past, and future tenses according to standard Estonian conjugation, with agreement between subject and verb. The agent noun for a person who performs the action is pühkija (sweeper).

See also: pühkija; tolm; põrand.