Tarkottaa

Tarkottaa is a Finnish verb that primarily means to mean or signify something, and it can also carry nuances of having a purpose or being aimed at something in certain contexts. In everyday speech it is common and widely understood, especially in informal registers, where it often functions similarly to the standard verb tarkoittaa.

The main use of tarkottaa is to ask about or state what something means. It is commonly heard in questions such as Miten tämä tarkottaa? or Mitä tuo tarkottaa? In these cases it serves the same communicative purpose as tarkoittaa, but with a more colloquial tone. It can also appear in declarative sentences to express the meaning of words, symbols, or phrases, for example Tuo symboli tarkottaa rauhaa.

In addition to meaning, tarkottaa can carry a sense related to intention or aim in certain contexts, particularly when describing what something is intended to achieve or who it is directed toward. This use tends to be more specialized and less frequent in everyday language, and speakers may opt for tarkottaa to emphasize practical implications or direct relevance.

Etymologically, tarkottaa is related to tarkka, meaning precise or careful, and it likely developed from senses connected to looking at or considering something closely. The verb is more colloquial than the equivalent tarkoittaa and is most natural in spoken Finnish. In formal writing, tarkoittaa is generally preferred.

See also: tarkoittaa, Finnish verb conjugation, colloquial Finnish usage.