vahelduvad

Vahelduvad is an Estonian verb form meaning to alternate or to take turns. It expresses a process in which two or more elements change position, state, or role over time. The form vahelduvad is the third-person plural present tense, used with subjects such as people, groups, or objects that perform the action collectively. The verb is typically intransitive and describes a ongoing alternation rather than a single, isolated action.

Common contexts for vahelduvad include work schedules, shifts, and routines where responsibilities or conditions switch between parties. For example, employees or teams may vahelduvad vahetustega (alternate shifts), or patterns may vahelduvad—changing from one state to another over time. The word can also describe varying colors, modes, or events that repeatedly alternate.

Derivatives and related forms include the noun vaheldumine, meaning alternation or rotation, and the adjective vahelduv, meaning alternating or intermittent. Etymologically, vahelduma is linked to the root vahe, meaning interval or gap, reflecting the idea of things occurring in alternating intervals or sequences.

In usage, vahelduvad emphasizes ongoing alternation rather than a one-time substitution. It is a common term in workplace, scheduling, and description of recurring patterns, and it fits contexts where different elements take turns or vary in a regular rhythm.