võistlevad

Võistlevad is an Estonian verb form meaning "they compete" or "are competing." It is the present tense, third-person plural form of the verb võistlema, which means "to compete" or "to participate in a competition." The form is used with plural subjects such as teams, athletes, or groups to indicate ongoing or general competition. The verb is commonly used in sports journalism, event descriptions, and everyday speech.

Etymology and related forms: Võistlema derives from võistlus meaning "competition," reflecting the activity of contest or tournament. Related terms include võistleja (competitor), võistlus (competition), and võistlemine (the act of competing). The form võistlevad follows standard Estonian verb conjugation for present tense, indicating third-person plural.

Usage notes: In sentences, võistlevad typically accompanies a plural subject. Example: "Meeskonnad võistlevad turniiril." This indicates that teams compete in a tournament. The tense can be used for habitual actions or current events, e.g., "Nad võistlevad praegu" (they are competing now). The word can appear in news articles, match reports, and general descriptions of contests.

See also: Võistlus, Võistleja, Võistlemine.