taastada

Taastada is an Estonian verb meaning to restore, rebuild, or reinstate, bringing something back to a previous state or condition. It is used for tangible objects such as buildings and artworks, for systems and processes that have become dysfunctional, and for more abstract concepts like relationships or institutions. In information technology, taastada is commonly used to describe restoring data or software from a backup, for example taastada andmed varundusest (to restore data from a backup). In cultural heritage and construction contexts, it appears in phrases such as hoone taastamine (the restoration of a building). For personal health or recovery, the related verb ta astuda or its counterpart taastuda is often used, with taastuda more typical for recovering oneself.

The word belongs to a productive Estonian verb family formed with the prefix taas-, which often conveys returning to a previous state or doing something again. Taastada is an infinitive; it is conjugated as a regular -da verb, with standard tense forms used to describe actions in the present, past, and future. In practice, taastada appears across domains from architectural conservation and urban planning to IT operations, law, and public administration, reflecting a common aim of returning something to its former or functional condition.

See also: restoration, reconstruction, data recovery, rehabilitation. Note that in some contexts, especially when referring to people or health, related verbs such as taastuda (to recover) are more appropriate, though taastada covers the broader notion of bringing something back to usefulness or integrity.