Muistataan

Muistataan is the present passive form of the Finnish verb muistaa, meaning to remember. In Finnish, the passive voice allows statements without specifying a subject, and muistataan is typically translated as “it is remembered” or “people remember.” In practice, it is often used to express a general reminder, guideline, or shared memory within a group.

Form and usage notes: Muistataan is formed from the verb stem muist- plus the present passive suffix -etaan/-ään, resulting in muistetaan. The subject is implicit, so the sentence can refer to people in general or to a collective audience. It is common in official or instructional language and in everyday speech when addressing a group.

Common contexts: muistataan is frequently used to introduce reminders or recommendations, especially in guidelines, safety notices, or collaborative contexts. It can also convey a sense of collective memory or responsibility. The form exists alongside related moods and tenses, such as muistiinmerkitseminen (note-taking) or the imperative form muistakaamme (let us remember), which more explicitly invites action.

Examples:

- Muistetaan, että varmuuskopiointi on tärkeää. (Let us remember that backups are important.)

- Muistetaan pitää taukoja työn lomassa. (Let us remember to take breaks during work.)

Relation to other forms: The related verb muistaa has finite forms for different persons (minä muistan, sinä muistat, hän muistaa, me muistamme, te muistatte, he muistavat). The corresponding passive past is muistettiin, and the passive future can be muistettaneen in some constructions.

See also: muistaa, muisti, muistaminen, passive voice in Finnish.