tõendab

Tõendab is the third-person singular present tense form of the Estonian verb tõendama, meaning to prove, to substantiate, or to provide evidence. It can also be used in the sense of documenting or certifying something, especially in contexts where a claim or statement is being backed up with proof or sources.

Etymology and range of meaning: The verb tõendama derives from the noun tõend, which means evidence or a document. The relationship between tõend and truth-related words in Estonian reflects a common semantic through-line: something that demonstrates or confirms truth. In practice, tõendab is used when asserting that a proposition has support, either by data, documents, or other forms of proof.

Usage and nuance: Tõendab is common in legal, academic, journalistic, and everyday discourse. It typically takes a direct object that denotes what is being proven or substantiated, such as väide (claim), väidet, tõend (evidence), or dokument. For example, "Ta tõendab oma väidet asjakohaste dokumentidega" means he substantiates his claim with relevant documents. The verb emphasizes the act of providing proof rather than merely stating something.

Conjugation and related forms: The verb is transitive and regularly conjugated. 3rd person singular present is tõendab, while other forms include tõendan (I prove), tõendas (he proved), and tõendav (proof-bearing, present participle). The related noun tõend and the related verb tõestama have overlapping but distinct senses, with tõestama focusing more on demonstrating or verifying truth.

See also: tõend (evidence), tõendama (to prove/provide evidence), tõde (truth).