Irroittaa

Irroittaa is a Finnish verb meaning to detach, separate, peel off, or remove something that is attached to another object. The action can be physical, such as peeling a sticker or loosening a glued part, or more generally to separate a component from a larger whole. The term covers both forceful and gradual separation, often by pulling, prying, or levering.

Common usage and examples include literal detachment of objects and materials: for example, irroittaa tarran auton kyljestä (to detach a sticker from the side of a car) and tarra irtoaa helposti lämmön vaikutuksesta (the sticker detaches easily due to heat). Irroittaminen is the noun form for the act of detaching, and irroittaminen is frequently discussed in contexts involving adhesives, mounting, and maintenance work. The verb can also describe removing a component in machinery, furniture, or construction when it is no longer intended to be fixed.

In addition to its concrete sense, irroittaa can be used metaphorically to describe removing ties or connections, such as detaching from an attachment or obligation, though in Finnish more common expressions may be used for figurative detachment.

Conjugation follows standard Finnish verb patterns. The present tense forms include irroittaa (base) or other person-specific forms like irrotan (I detach) and irrottaa (he/she detaches). The past tense appears as irroitti (detached), and the past participle is irroittanut. Synonyms include poistaa (to remove) and erottaa (to separate), while kiinnittää (to attach) serves as a common antonym.

See also: irroittaminen, tarra, liima.