Kannustanut

Kannustanut is Finnish for “having encouraged” and is the past active participle of the verb kannustaa, meaning to encourage or to spur on. It denotes a completed act of encouraging and is used in various tenses and constructions to express that someone has encouraged others.

In finite clauses, kannustanut appears with the auxiliary olla to form perfect tenses: Olen kannustanut, Olet kannustanut, Hän on kannustanut; Olemme kannustaneet, Olette kannustaneet, He ovat kannustaneet. In non-finite and relative clauses it can introduce a participial phrase, for example: henkilö, jonka hän on kannustanut, meaning “a person whom he has encouraged.”

Usage and nuance: kannustanut conveys that encouragement was given and had an impact, often over a period or in response to a challenge. It is commonly used in contexts such as education, sports, work, and personal relationships, and it sits between simple praise and more forceful prompting. It is typically contrasted with synonyms like rohkaista (to encourage, to embolden) and kehottaa (to urge), offering a sense of sustained support or motivation.

Related forms: kannustus (encouragement) as a noun, and kannustaminen (the act of encouraging). These nominal forms are frequently used in discussions of motivation, coaching, and guidance.

Examples:

- Olen kannustanut ystäviäni jatkamaan yrittämistä. (I have encouraged my friends to keep trying.)

- Hän on kannustanut tiimiä saavuttamaan tavoitteet. (He has encouraged the team to reach the goals.)

- Koulussa kannustus ja tuki auttoivat oppilaita menestymään. (Encouragement and support at school helped students succeed.)