Suhtuda

Suhtuda is a Finnish verb that denotes one's attitude toward or relation to someone or something. It can mean to relate to emotionally, to respond to, or to treat in a certain way. In contemporary Finnish, the standard verb for this idea is suhtaudua; suhtua or suhtua may appear in older texts or regional varieties, but suhtaudua is generally preferred for describing one’s stance toward something. The noun form suhtautuminen refers to an attitude or stance toward a topic or person.

Usage and meaning: Suhtuda is used to express how a person evaluates or handles a matter, rather than to describe a physical action. It is commonly followed by a target expressed with the preposition jolle or siihen, or used with the related noun suhtautuminen. Examples illustrate a range of attitudes: Miten suhtaudut tähän ehdotukseen? Hän suhtautui varauksella uutisiin. Yritys suhtautuu hankkeeseen myönteisesti. The tone of statements can be neutral, favorable, critical, or cautious, depending on context.

Relation to related forms: The form suhtaudua is the standard infinitive for everyday use in modern Finnish; suhtua and suhtua appear mainly in older texts or dialectal settings. The noun suhtautuminen (an attitude or stance) is often used in formal writing to discuss perspectives on issues, policies, or persons.

See also: suhtaudua, suhtautuminen.