avama

Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *avait'ak, from Proto-Finno-Ugric *aŋa-. Cognate with Finnish avata.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɑvɑmɑ/, [ˈɑvɑmɑ]
  • Rhymes: -ɑvɑmɑ
  • Hyphenation: ava‧ma

Verb

avama (da-infinitive avada)

  1. (transitive) to open (to move something from a closed, enclosed state to an open state)
  2. (transitive) to open (to remove a barrier, an obstacle, to make something passable, to make movement possible)
  3. (transitive, computing) to open (to start, switch on or run a device, computer program, etc.)
    Proovi faili avada teise programmiga või teises arvutis.Try opening the file with another program or on another computer.
  4. (intransitive, of a shop, a public authority) to open (to start working, start serving people)
    Kauplus avatakse juba kell seitse.The shop opens as early as seven o'clock.
  5. (transitive) to launch (to set something in motion, to put into use, to start something)
  6. (transitive) to open (to inaugurate an event, give the opening speech)
  7. (transitive) to unveil (to make a monument, memorial plaque or the like visible to the public, by removing the cover)
    Raamatukogu avab esmaspäeval professor Juri Lotmani büsti.The library will unveil the bust of Professor Yuri Lotman on Monday.
  8. (transitive) to open (to start, set up some accounting, in a sports game, in a bank)

Conjugation

References

  • avama in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)
  • avama”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009