Hiljentää

Hiljentää is a Finnish transitive verb meaning to make something quieter or to reduce its intensity. It is used both for physical sound and for more abstract forms of quieting, such as dampening actions, emotions, or discussions. The act can be temporary, as in lowering a volume, or more lasting, such as slowing or constraining activity.

Common contexts include audio and public communication. In audio settings, hiljentää refers to lowering the volume or softening sound, for example by dampening noise or reducing speaker output. In everyday language, the verb can describe calming or restraining processes, such as hiljentää kiihkeää puhetta, hiljentää vauhtia, or hiljentää toimintaa. Figuratively, it can imply suppressing or moderating behavior, criticism, or momentum.

Etymology and related forms: hiljentää is derived from the adjective hiljainen (quiet) with the causative or intensifying suffix -ttää, forming a verb that means “to make quiet.” Related noun is hiljentäminen, the act or process of quieting or dampening. The reciprocal form hiljentyä describes becoming quieter or calming down, and the participial forms adapt to different grammatical needs.

In usage, hiljentää is a neutral, descriptive term appropriate for technical, administrative, and everyday language. It covers both concrete actions (lowering a sound level) and more abstract ideas (dampening tensions or slowing down operations), making it a versatile verb in Finnish.