Hengitä

Hengitä is a Finnish verb meaning to breathe. It is commonly used in everyday language to refer to the act of respiration, and it appears in medical, wellness, and instructional contexts. As a form used to direct action, it can function as an imperative.

In Finnish, hengittää denotes breathing, and hengitä serves as the imperative mood used to tell someone to take a breath or to focus on breathing. Common contexts include breathing instructions in health care, relaxation techniques, and physical training. Phrases such as hengitä syvään (breathe deeply) and hengitä rauhallisesti (breathe calmly) illustrate typical usage. The word often appears alongside nouns and adjectives describing the breath or breath-related processes, such as sisäänhengitys (inhalation) and uloshengitys (exhalation).

Etymologically, hengittää is related to the Finnish noun henki, which means breath or spirit, giving rise to a family of terms connected to respiration and vitality. Related forms include hengittäminen (breathing as a process), hengenahdistus (shortness of breath), and other compounds built around the root henki. These terms are used across medical discussions, fitness guidance, and everyday speech to describe respiratory states and actions.

As a simple imperative, hengitä appears in instructional and motivational contexts, often in relation to health, mindfulness, or physical activity. While primarily a verb, it can also surface in creative or commercial titles that reference breathing, calm, or resilience. See also respiration, breathing techniques, and related Finnish vocabulary for breath.