Lankeaa

Lankeaa is a Finnish verb meaning to fall or to collapse. It can describe a physical fall, such as slipping or tumbling, as well as a figurative decline or failure, for example in plans, fortunes, or credibility. In modern everyday Finnish, lankeaa is comparatively attenuated in ordinary speech, where kaatua or pudota are more common for concrete falling, while lankeaa appears more often in literary, historical, or religious contexts.

Etymology and classification: Lankeaa is linked to the Finnic root related to falling and is associated with related nouns such as lankeama (the act of falling) and lankeus (fall, decline). It belongs to the class of Finnish -aa/-ä verbs and follows standard inflection patterns for that class, with regular conjugation in the main tenses. The form is typically encountered in more formal or archaic registers.

Usage and nuance: The verb conveys a sense of loss of footing or stability, whether physical, moral, or situational. Because of its often elevated or solemn tone, lankeaa is common in poetry, religious writing, historical narration, and certain stylistic translations. In contemporary prose and everyday speech, speakers may opt for synonyms that are less formal when describing everyday slips or failures.

See also: lankeama, lankeus, kaatua, pudota. These terms relate to the idea of falling or declining and are useful for understanding the semantic field around lankeaa in Finnish.