Sovelletaan

Sovelletaan is the present passive form of the Finnish verb soveltaa, meaning to apply, implement, or make applicable. It is used to indicate that a rule, principle, method, or instruction is to be applied, without specifying who performs the action. As a passive form, it creates an impersonal statement common in formal writing.

In practice, sovelletaan appears in contexts such as guidelines, manuals, regulations, and academic or administrative texts. It signals that the following content is to be used or considered in applying a procedure or principle. The phrase is often followed by a list or description of the applicable steps or criteria. For example, "Sovelletaan seuraavia periaatteita" translates to "The following principles are applied" or "The following principles should be applied." The form supports concise, directive language by shifting focus from the actor to the action or rule itself.

Usage notes include that sovelletaan tends to convey formality and is widely understood in Finnish technical and official discourse. In everyday speech, speakers might prefer active constructions such as "sovellamme" (we apply) or impersonal alternatives depending on the register. The form can also function with additional qualifiers, such as time references or context indicators, to specify when or where the applicability applies.

Related forms include the active verb soveltaa and other Finnish passive constructions. While sovelletaan is most common in written, formal material, understanding its use helps in interpreting instructions and methodological descriptions across Finnish texts.