Kiirehtyä

Kiirehtyä is a Finnish verb meaning to hurry or to rush, typically describing moving quickly or acting with urgency because of time pressure or eagerness. It is an intransitive verb and is commonly used to convey a sense of needing to reach a destination or complete a task promptly.

Etymology and related forms: The verb is built from the noun kíire (hurry) with the verbal suffix -htyä, a productive pattern in Finnish that forms actions of a changing state or manner. Related noun forms include kiire (hurry) and kiirehtiminen (the act of hurrying). In some contexts, especially in older or dialectal Finnish, another form kiirehtiä may be encountered, but kiirehtyä is the standard lemma.

Usage notes: Kiirehtyä often collocates with time expressions or destinations, emphasizing time pressure rather than a physical action like running. It can describe everyday situations (getting ready for a meeting, catching a bus) as well as broader pacing (not wanting to waste time). The verb conjugates like other Finnish verbs of the -htyä type, with present tense forms such as kiirehtii (he/she hurries) and past forms such as kiirehti (he hurried).

Examples:

- Hän kiirehtii junalle. (He hurries to the train.)

- Hän kiirehti kotiin ennen sulkemisaikaa. (He hurried home before the closing time.)

- Olemme kiireessä, meidän täytyy nopeasti järjestyä. (We are in a hurry; we must get organized quickly.)

See also: kiire (hurry), kiireinen (hurried), kiirehtiminen (the act of hurrying).