Lajittele

Lajittele is a Finnish verb meaning to sort or classify items into separate groups or categories. It is commonly used as an imperative on instructions and signs, where it directs someone to perform the action: "Lajittele jätteet oikeisiin lajittelupisteisiin" translates to "Sort the waste into the correct sorting stations."

In everyday life, lajittelu is central to waste management and recycling programs, encouraging separation of materials such as paper, plastic, metal, glass, and organic waste. It is also used more broadly to mean sorting items by attributes like date, size, or project, for example in offices or digital systems.

In science, lajittelu can describe the act of categorizing organisms or data into groups based on shared characteristics, though scientific terminology sometimes uses more specific terms such as luokittelu or taksonominen luokittelu.

The noun form lajittelu refers to the act or process of sorting, and related terms include laji (kind, type, species) and lajittelupiste (sorting station). The word reflects Finnish compounding patterns, with laji providing the semantic base and the suffixes forming verbs and nouns that describe the action or process of sorting. Overall, lajittele denotes a practical, everyday action tied to organization, efficiency, and proper categorization in various contexts.