Epäilitä

Epäilitä is a Finnish verb meaning to doubt or to be skeptical about something. In its imperative form, epäilitä is used to urge someone to doubt or question a claim, statement, or situation rather than accepting it at face value. The form is commonly used in discussions, debates, and contexts that emphasize critical thinking.

Origin and related forms: Epäillä, the infinitive form, conveys the core meaning of doubt. The prefix epä- signals negation or uncertainty, and related words include epäily (doubt, suspicion), epäilijä (skeptic), and epäilyttävä (doubtful, suspicious). The verb participates in typical Finnish inflection patterns, with present tense forms such as epäilen, epäilet, epäilee, epäilemme, epäilette, epäilevät.

Usage and syntax: Epäilitä is chiefly used as an imperative. It can be directed at a person or a group in orders, requests, or exhortations to scrutinize information or to refrain from accepting something uncritically. The verb can take objects in the partitive or be followed by content clauses, e.g., epäile väitteitä or epäile, että… (doubt the claims or doubt that…). In non-imperative forms, epäillä governs clauses and constructions typical for Finnish verbs, including noun phrases denoting doubt or suspicion.

Notes: In everyday language, epäilystä voidaan ilmaista myös muilla ilmauksilla, kuten epäilen/epäilee, riippuen kontekstista. Epäilijä- ja epäily-linjatäävät terms are common in both spoken and written Finnish, reflecting a general emphasis on evaluation and scrutiny.

See also: epäillä, epäily, epäilyttävä, epäilijä.