Vocab: vastutama - to be responsible
to be responsible; to be responsible for making sure something works properly or follows the rules; to be accountable for the results of one’s actions
Building blocks
vastu- → against/in response to
-ta- → causative suffix (to make something happen)
-ma → infinitive ending
So vastutama literally means to answer in response.
Originally connected to “vastu vastama” (to answer back), which explains why vastutama also includes the idea of being accountable for consequences, not just “being in charge”.
How to use it
What to remember
The thing or person you are responsible for goes in the genitive case (second base form), and you add “eest” (which literally means for).
Example
Juht vastutab töötajate ohutuse eest
Literally: “Manager is-responsible employees’ safety for”
Idiomatically: “The manager is responsible for the employees’ safety”
Juht - Noun - Nominative Singular: "The manager"
vastutab - Verb - 3rd Person Singular, Present Tense: "is responsible"
töötajate - Noun - Genitive Plural: "employees’"
ohutuse - Noun - Genitive Singular: "safety"
eest - Postposition - Indeclinable: "for"