Säilyttäkää

Säilyttäkää is the second-person plural imperative form of the Finnish verb säilyttää, which means to keep, retain, or preserve. The form is used when giving a direct instruction to a group of people or when using a formal tone directed at an audience.

The word commonly appears in practical contexts such as signs, manuals, and safety guidelines. It instructs readers or recipients to keep or preserve items, information, or conditions in a specified state. Examples of its use include phrases like “Säilyttäkää kuitit talteen” (Keep the receipts) or “Säilyttäkää tavarat järjestyksessä” (Keep the items in order).

In terms of usage, säilyttäkää functions as a polite or formal command and is typical in official or public-facing communication. It is part of the broader Finnish imperative system, where the second-person plural form addresses more than one person or uses a formal address to a group or audience. The corresponding singular imperative is säilytä.

Etymologically, säilyttää means to keep or preserve, and säilyttäkää is the imperative plural form derived from this verb. Related noun forms include säilyttäminen (preservation or retention) and säilytys (keeping or storage). The term is learned as part of everyday Finnish usage, especially in contexts requiring clear, directive language.