Houkuteltu

Houkuteltu is a Finnish past passive participle of the verb houkutella, meaning to lure, entice, or tempt. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that has been lured or enticed. In practice it is used with forms of olla to indicate a resulting state, for example Hän on houkuteltu, “He/She has been lured.” It can also appear in sentences where the target of persuasion is the object, such as Hänet on houkuteltu mukaan projektiin, meaning he has been lured into the project.

Etymology and related forms: The participle is formed by adding the suffix -tu to the verb stem houkutell-, from houkutella. Related words include houkutteleva, meaning tempting or attractive, and the noun forms houkutus or houkutelu, referring to enticement or lure. The language also uses present or ongoing senses with different constructions, but houkuteltu specifically marks a completed luring event or a state resulting from it.

Usage notes: Houkuteltu is relatively neutral and formal, often appearing in written Finnish or in reporting about persuasion, manipulation, or marketing that led to someone being influenced. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer the active forms such as houkuttelee (tempts) or the passive past tense houkuteltiin (they lured). When describing an offer or situation as attractive, houkutteleva or houkuttelevat tarjoukset is more common than using houkuteltu.

See also: houkutella, houkutteleva, houkutelu, houkutus.