Vocab: jäädvustama

to capture

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to capture; to record; to turn into something lasting or permanent

Building blocks

• jäädvus- – This root is related to the word jäädav, meaning lasting or permanent. It shows the idea of something that endures or is preserved

• -ta- – causative (“make something be X” - causing something to become lasting)

• -ma – infinitive ending

So, jäädvustama means "to make something lasting" or "to preserve something so it endures."

How to use it

• Capturing Moments Through Photography or Video:

  • Ta jäädvustas pulmapäeva fotodele, et mälestused kestaksid igavesti.

    • Translation: He captured the wedding day in photos so that the memories would last forever.

• Documenting Information for Future Reference:

  • Ajaloolased jäädvustavad rahvakultuuri traditsioone, et neid tulevastele põlvkondadele säilitada.

    • Translation: Historians document folk culture traditions to preserve them for future generations.

NB! Jäädvustama isn't used as "to catch" in the sense of physically catching something, like in English. Instead, it refers to preserving or recording something (like moments or events) in a lasting form.

Examples

Mängufilm "Pikad paberid" jäädvustab noorte elu kaasaegses Tallinnas

Literally: “Feature film Pikad paberid captures of young people life modern-day-in Tallinn-in”

Idiomatically: “The feature film Pikad paberid captures the lives of young people in modern-day Tallinn”

Mängufilm - Noun - Nominative Sg, "Feature film"
"Pikad paberid" - Proper noun - Film title, "Pikad paberid"
jäädvustab - Verb - 3rd Person Present Sg, "captures"
noorte - Noun - Genitive Pl, "of young people"
elu - Noun - Partitive Sg, "life"
kaasaegses - Adjective - Inessive Sg, "in modern-day"
Tallinnas - Proper noun - Inessive Sg, "in Tallinn"