tõukab

Tõukab is the Estonian present tense form of the verb tõukama, meaning to push. It is a transitive verb, used with a direct object to indicate what is being pushed. The form corresponds to third-person singular, so it translates as “he pushes,” “she pushes,” or “it pushes” depending on the subject.

In present tense, the typical verb forms are ma tõukan, sa tõukad, ta tõukab, me tõukame, te tõukate, nad tõukavad. This pattern shows that -ab, -ad, -ab, -ame, -ate, -avad endings mark person and number, with the root tõuk- carrying the meaning “to push.”

Tõukab is used in both literal and figurative contexts. Literally, it describes moving something by applying force, for example: Ta tõukab mind. (He pushes me.) Ta tõukab eseme edasi. (He pushes an object forward.) Ta tõukab ukse lahti. (He pushes the door open.) Metaphorically, it can mean urging or forcing action, as in contexts that imply exerting pressure to advance a process or idea.

Related terms include the verb tõukama itself (to push), and the noun tõuk, which denotes a push or shove as a noun. In Estonian, many verbs patterned like tõukama share similar present-tense endings, and tõukab serves as a common example of the 3rd-person singular form used in everyday language.