Opettaa

Opettaa is a Finnish verb meaning “to teach” or “to instruct.” It belongs to the first conjugation class and is derived from the noun opetus (“instruction”) and the verb oppia (“to learn”). The infinitive form is opettaa, the present tense third‑person singular is opettaa, and the past tense is opetti. Its passive form is opetetaan (present) and opetettiin (past). The participles include opetettava (to be taught) and opetettu (taught). In everyday language opettaa is used for formal education, informal skill transmission, and metaphorical contexts such as “life teaches lessons” (elämä opettaa).

The verb is commonly paired with an object representing the learner, often expressed with the idiom “opettaa jonkun jotakin” (to teach someone something). For example, “Opettaja opettaa oppilaita matematiikassa” (The teacher teaches the students mathematics). It can also appear in a causative construction where the learner is omitted, as in “Hän opettaa hyvin” (He/she is a good teacher). In colloquial speech, the noun opettaja (teacher) and the adjective opeteltava (to be learned) are frequent derivatives.

Historically, opettaa traces back to Proto‑Finnic *opettaa, related to Estonian õpetama and other Baltic‑Finnic languages. Its usage has remained stable, though contemporary Finnish often employs the loanword “teach” in certain contexts, especially in technical or international settings. The verb also appears in idioms such as “opettaa vanhaa koiraa uusia temppuja” (to teach an old dog new tricks), illustrating its flexibility in both literal and figurative speech.