Pudottaa

Pudottaa is a Finnish verb with several related meanings centered on causing something to fall or to be lowered. Its core senses are to let something drop from a higher position, to knock something down, or to reduce or eliminate in various contexts. Common literal uses include dropping an object onto a surface, as in “Pudotin avaimet pöydälle” (I dropped the keys on the table). In addition to physical dropping, pudottaa is used metaphorically for reducing or lowering something, such as prices: “Kauppa aikoo pudottaa hintoja” (The store plans to lower prices).

In competitive and military contexts, pudottaa can mean to eliminate or knock out an opponent, or to drop a bomb or other payload. For example, “Joukkue pudotti vastustajan turnauksesta” (The team eliminated the opponent from the tournament) and “lentokone pudotti pommin” (the aircraft dropped a bomb). The verb is also used for figurative declines, such as downgrading or shedding status.

Grammatically, pudottaa is a transitive verb built on the root pudot- with the causative -taa suffix. It is conjugated regularly: pudotan, pudotat, pudottaa, pudotamme, pudotatte, pudottavat. The past tense forms are pudotin, pudotit, pudotti, etc., and the passive form is pudotetaan. The corresponding noun form is pudotus, meaning a fall or drop (in height, quantity, or value).

Etymology traces pudottaa to the Finnish root pudota (to fall), with pudottaa functioning as the causative form meaning “to cause to fall.” Related derivatives include pudotus (a fall or drop) and pudottaminen (the act of dropping).