Sairastua

Sairastua is a Finnish intransitive verb meaning to fall ill or to become sick, i.e., to contract an illness and begin to feel unwell. It describes the onset of an illness rather than its treatment, and it is used with no direct object. In everyday language, it is common in statements such as “Hän sairastui eilen” or “Minä olen sairastunut.” The noun form sairaus and related adjective sairaas are etymologically connected, and the suffix -tua signals a change of state or process.

Etymology and usage notes: The verb is built from the base idea of sickness (saira-) and the -tua suffix that marks a transition or ongoing process. It has a long-standing presence in Finnish and is frequently found in medical, journalistic, and personal contexts. Sairastua is often paired with disease names in the illative after the illness, for example “sairastua flunssaan” (to fall ill with flu) or “sairastua keuhkokuumeeseen” (to fall ill with pneumonia).

Conjugation overview:

- Present: minä sairastun, sinä sairastut, hän sairastuu, me sairastumme, te sairastutte, he sairastuvat.

- Imperfect: minä sairastuin, sinä sairastuit, hän sairastui, me sairastuimme, te sairastuitte, he sairastuivat.

- Perfect: minä olen sairastunut, sinä olet sairastunut, hän on sairastunut, me olemme sairastuneet, te olette sairastuneet, he ovat sairastuneet.

- Pluperfect: olin sairastunut, olit sairastunut, oli sairastunut, olimme sairastuneet, olitte sairastuneet, he olivat sairastuneet.

See also: sairaus, parantua, toipua. Examples include: “Viime viikolla hän sairastui vakavaan flunssaan.” “Hän on sairastunut.” This verb is primarily used to convey the onset of illness and its progression, not the treatment or outcome.

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