sõites

Sõites is an Estonian adverbial participle formed from the verb sõita (to drive or travel by vehicle). It expresses that an action occurs at the same time as the action of the main clause, roughly equivalent to the English expression "while driving" or "by driving." As a non-finite clause form, sõites usually shares the subject with the main clause and does not carry its own tense.

Usage and function:

Sõites is used to connect events in a sentence by indicating concurrent action or manner. It can appear before or after the main clause, typically separated by a comma. The construction is common in written descriptive prose and can lend a concise, narrative flow. In everyday spoken Estonian, speakers may opt for alternative clause structures, but sõites remains a standard option in style guides and formal writing.

Examples:

- Sõites läbi linna, nägime järve ja linna siluetti. (While driving through the city, we saw a lake and the skyline.)

- Linnast välja sõites kuulsime vaikust ja kuulsid taustamürinat. (Driving out of the city, we heard the quiet and the distant hum.)

Notes:

The meaning conveyed by sõites centers on simultaneity with the main action rather than a separate tense or aspect. It is one of several adverbial participles in Estonian that help express time, manner, or cause in a compact, non-finite clause.