vahetavad

Vahetavad is an Estonian verb form and adjective derived from the root vahetama, meaning to change, exchange or replace. As a verb form, vahetavad is the present indicative, third person plural (they exchange, they are changing). As an adjective it can describe items or components that are interchangeable or replaceable in a given context.

The term appears in everyday speech, technical descriptions and commerce. In everyday usage it can refer to people swapping objects or roles (for example, "Nad vahetavad raamatuid" — "They exchange books"). In technical and manufacturing contexts vahetavad osad refers to interchangeable parts that can be removed and replaced without custom fitting. In organizational contexts vahetus denotes shifts or rotations, and vahetavad may describe roles that are rotated among team members.

Etymology traces to the Estonian noun vahe (difference, interval) combined with the verb-forming suffixes; related words include vahetus (shift, exchange), vahetama (to exchange) and vahetuskaart (swap card). Grammatical relatives include the infinitive vahetama and the participle vahetanud. Usage notes emphasize context: as a verb it denotes the action of exchanging, while as an adjective it highlights replaceability or interchangeability of objects or functions.