Vocab: panustama

to contribute

to contribute, to bring to the table, to place your hopes in someone or something, to make a bet on something or someone

Building blocks

• panus- contribution, bet

• -ta- factitive (“make something be X”)

• -ma - infinitive ending

It’s likely derived from Proto-Finnic pandak (to put, to place.) This derivation makes sense, as when you contribute to someone or something, you “put” time, money, or effort into it. Or, more figuratively, you “put” your trust in someone.

How to use it

Here are some examples of how you can use "panustama" in sentences:

1. To invest (in a business or project):

   • Ta otsustas panustada uude ettevõttesse.
     (He decided to invest in a new company.)

2. To contribute (ideas, skills, knowledge, etc.):

   • Õpilased panustavad oma teadmisi klassi aruteludesse.
     (Students contribute their knowledge to class discussions.)

3. To bet (in the context of gambling or games):

   • Ma ei taha liiga palju raha panustada.
     (I don't want to bet too much money.)

Examples

Kogukond panustas linna uue raamatukogu ehitusse

Literally: “Community contributed town’s new library construction-into”

Idiomatically: “The community contributed to the construction of the town's new library”

Kogukond - Noun - Nom Sg, "Community"
panustas - Verb - 3P Past Sg, "contributed"
linna - Noun - Gen Sg, "town's"
uue - Adjective - Gen Sg, "new"
raamatukogu - Noun - Gen Sg, "library"
ehitusse - Noun - Short Illative Sg, "construction-into"