töötavat

Töötavat is an Estonian present active participle and adjective formed from the verb töötama (to work). It describes something that is functioning or in operation. The base form is töötav; töötavat is the partitive singular form, used when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case, for example in constructions with verbs that take a partitive object: kasutan töötavat masinat (I am using a working machine).

In nominative position you would typically use töötav masin (a working machine). The term is common in technical and everyday language to distinguish devices or processes that are operational from those that are not. As an adjective, töötavat agrees with the noun in case and number, with the partitive singular form appearing when the noun is in partitive, as in the sentence above.

Etymology and morphology: töötavat originates from the verb töötama with the present participle suffix -v, yielding a form that functions as both a participle and an adjective. Like other Estonian adjectives, it declines to match the noun it describes across different cases and numbers.

Usage notes: Töötavat is primarily used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively when describing the state of a subject as operational. It can describe machinery, software, systems, or processes, and is appropriate in neutral, technical, and everyday registers.

Examples:

- Kasutan töötavat masinat. (I am using a working machine.)

- Meie süsteem on töötav. (Our system is operational.)

- Töötav tarkvara on lõppfaasis testimisel. (The working software is in the final testing phase.)