Pelkistyä

Pelkistyä is a Finnish intransitive verb meaning to become afraid, to grow timid or cautious. It describes a change in emotional state from a previous level of boldness or calm to fear, wariness, or reduced willingness to take risks. The change can affect individuals, animals, or collective attitudes, and it is often linked to perceived danger, threat, or uncertainty. The nuance is typically stronger than a simple fear and implies a retreat from previous boldness or risk-taking.

Etymology and forms: Pelkistyä is built from the noun pelko (fear) combined with the suffix -isty- that marks a change of state. It belongs to a class of Finnish verbs formed with the suffix -styä, which express a process of becoming or turning into something. As an intransitive verb, pelkistyä does not take a direct object; the subject experiences the change. Common finite forms include pelkistyn, pelkistyt, pelkistyy, pelkistymme, pelkistytte, pelkistyvät in the present tense, with corresponding past and perfect forms.

Usage and examples: Pelkistyä is frequently used to describe reactions to threatening situations, stress, or negative information. For example: Hän pelkistyi pimeässä. (He became fearful in the dark.) Kriisin aikana ihmiset pelkistyivät ja alkoivat varoa riskejä. (During the crisis, people grew fearful and started avoiding risks.) Pelkistyminen can also be discussed as a broader tendency, for instance in psychological or social contexts.

See also: pelko, pelätä, pelästyä, pelokas. Pelkistymisen ilmaisut voivat viitata sekä yksilön että ryhmän muutos-tilaan kohti varovaisuutta tai pelkuruutta.