Ratkaisimme

Ratkaisimme is a Finnish verb form that appears as a finite verb, not as a standalone noun. It represents the first-person plural past tense of the verb ratkaista, which broadly means to solve or to decide. In context, ratkaisimme can express that “we solved” something or “we decided” something, depending on the surrounding sentence and the sense of the verb used.

Grammatical notes: In Finnish, person and tense are indicated by verb endings. The ending -imme marks the first-person plural past tense in many verbs, while the stem conveys the core action. Therefore, ratkaisimme is categorized as past indicative in the 1st person plural. Because løs or decide in Finnish is a context-sensitive meaning of ratkaista, ratkaisimme can refer to solving a problem or making a decision, based on the object or situation described.

Usage and nuance: The form is common in written narratives and reported speech, where a speaker or narrator recounts actions taken by a group. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer present or other past forms (for example, ratkaisimme vs. ratkaisimme) depending on the exact temporal or hypothetical nuance they wish to convey. Distinguishing ratkaisimme from the conditional form ratkaisisimme is important, as the latter translates to “we would solve/decide.”

Related terms include ratkaisu (solution) and the broader verb family around ratkaista. The form illustrates how Finnish encodes tense and person directly in the verb ending.