Määrääntyä

Määrääntyä is a Finnish verb that means to become determined, to come under the influence or control of a factor, condition, or rule. It describes a state in which outcomes are shaped by external conditions rather than by an active decision by a subject. The term is common in formal or technical writing, including philosophy, sociology, economics, law, and natural science, where relationships between phenomena are described as dependent on other factors.

Usage notes and examples:

The verb signals that a process or result is governed by external determinants. It often appears with phrases such as mukaan (according to), tai tekijöiden mukaan (by factors), or vaikuttamisesta (influence). Examples: Tulokset määrääntyvät mittausmenetelmien mukaan. Tilanne määräytyy tekijöiden vaikutuksesta. Aikataulu määräytyy rahoituksen saatavuuden mukaan. In these contexts määrääntyä contrasts with active causation expressed by määrittää (to determine or prescribe).

Grammar:

Määrääntyä is an intransitive verb of the -ntyä class. The infinitive is määrääntyä. Like other -ntyä verbs, it forms its finite forms through regular Finnish conjugation patterns appropriate to its class, such as määräytyy or määräytyivät in the present or past tense, respectively.

Etymology:

The word is built from määrä- “to determine” plus the derivational element -nty- and the infinitive ending -ä, indicating a state resulting from determinants.

See also:

Määrätä, määräytyminen, determinismi. This verb is mainly found in written, analytical, or theoretical contexts and is less common in everyday speech.