tähistavad

Tähistavad is an Estonian verb form meaning they celebrate or they commemorate. It is the third-person plural present tense of the verb tähistama, whose basic meaning includes both celebrating an event and marking or signaling something. The infinitive form is tähistama.

Etymology and meaning: tähistama derives from tähis, meaning a sign or mark, and the related sense is to mark an occasion by celebration or by public recognition. In addition to festive occasions, tähistama can be used in the sense of marking a date, milestone, or symbolic moment.

Usage and grammar: Tähistavad is used to describe actions performed by multiple subjects, such as people, groups, or institutions. Common constructions include tähistama a holiday, a birthday, an anniversary, or a public event (for example, nad tähistavad aastapäeva). The verb can take objects in various cases, typically in the accusative or genitive depending on the construction, and it appears in different tenses with corresponding forms (for example, tähistasid in the past, on tähistanud in the present perfect).

Examples:

- Nad tähistavad tänavu jõulupühi koos perega.

- Linn tähistas vabariigi 105. aastapäeva.

See also: tähis (sign), tähistus (marking), tähistamine (the act of celebrating or marking).

In summary, tähistavad functions as a versatile verb for describing collective acts of celebration or marking significant occasions in Estonian.