Olkoon

Olkoon is a Finnish verb form derived from olla (to be) and used as the present jussive or optative mood. It expresses wishes, hopes, or hypothetical states and is most common in formal, literary, or archaic language. In modern everyday Finnish it is relatively rare, but it appears in religious, legal, poetic, and historical texts, as well as in set phrases.

Grammatical notes: Olkoon is typically the third-person singular form used to convey “let it be” or “may it be.” The mood is known as jussive or optative and serves to express exhortation, permission, or supplication. Variants include olkoonpa (emphatic, with emphasis) and olkoonkin (used in constructions like olkoonkin niin, “even so” or “let it be so”). The form does not have a wide range of everyday synonyms in contemporary speech; its function is largely preservational or ceremonial.

Usage and contexts: Olkoon appears in religious language, Biblical Finnish, classical poetry, and formal decrees. It is also found in proverbs and traditional sayings that express approval or wishes. In contemporary writing, it may be used for stylistic effect to convey dignity, solemnity, or timelessness.

Examples:

- Olkoon tämä päätös oikeudenmukainen. (May this decision be just.)

- Olkoon Jumala kiitetty. (Praise be to God.)

- Olkoonpa niin, että kaikki sujuu hyvin. (Let it be so that everything goes well.)

- Olkoonkin niin. (So be it / Even so.)

See also: Finnish grammar, jussive mood, olla.