Mielestämme

Mielestämme is a Finnish phrase used to express the opinion of the speaker or a group. It functions as an adverbial expression equivalent to “in our opinion” or “we think,” and is common in editorial writing, policy statements, debates, and other formal or semi-formal contexts.

Morphology and etymology: The form combines mieli, meaning mind or opinion, with the elative case ending mielestä (from the mind/opinion) and the 1st person plural possessive suffix -mme, yielding mielestämme. Literally, it means “from our mind/opinion,” but idiomatically it means “in our view.” It belongs to a family of expressions formed with -stä that indicate viewpoint, such as mielestäni (in my opinion) and mielestäsi (in your opinion).

Usage: Mielestämme conveys a collective stance and is often used to introduce justification or a recommendation while maintaining a formal tone. It is suitable in political statements, academic or policy writing, and journalistic editorializing, but may sound pompous if overused in everyday speech. Example: Mielestämme ratkaisu on kohtuullinen.

Variants and related forms: Other related forms include mielestäni (in my opinion), mielestäsi (in your opinion), mielestään (in his/her opinion), and mielestenne (in your opinion, plural). The choice of form reflects the subject who holds the opinion and clarifies whether the stance is personal or shared.