sõltuma

Sõltuma is an Estonian verb meaning "to depend" or "to be contingent upon." It is used to express that something relies on another factor or condition. The most common construction is the impersonal form with see, as in "see sõltub" meaning "it depends [on]." The factor it depends on is typically expressed by a noun phrase or a clause, for example: "see sõltub ilmast" (it depends on the weather) and "kõik sõltub olukorrast" (everything depends on the situation). The subject can be a person, event, or condition, while the dependent element clarifies what it depends on.

In everyday speech, sõltuma covers a broad range of conditional relationships—from practical outcomes to abstract contingencies. It is also used to describe personal dependence, as in "ma sõltun temast" (I depend on him).

Related forms include the noun sõltuvus (dependence) and the adjective sõltuv (dependent). The word is of native Finnic origin and is closely tied to other Estonian terms related to dependence and contingency. Sõltuma is a common verb in conversation, education, media, and formal writing, where speakers describe how results or decisions hinge on specific factors.