Tavata

Tavata is a Finnish verb meaning to meet or to encounter, typically referring to two or more people coming together in person. It is a transitive verb and is commonly used with a direct object referring to a person, as in tavata joku (to meet someone). The verb can describe both planned meetings and encounters that happen by chance.

In the present tense the forms are tapaan, tapaat, tapaa, tapaamme, tapaatte, tapaavat. The simple past tense is tapasin, tapasit, tapasi, tapasimme, tapasitte, tapasivat. The perfect tense is formed with olla plus tavannut, for example olen tavannut, olet tavannut, hän on tavannut, olemme tavanneet, olette tavanneet, he ovat tavanneet. The passive or impersonal form tavataan is used to express a meeting in general or an invitation, as in Tavataan kahvilassa klo 16. Common phrases include tavata vanhat ystävät (to meet old friends) and tavata toisensa (to meet each other).

Usage notes: tavata is the standard verb for meeting people. For more formal or structured encounters, kohdata can be used, though it has a slightly broader range including encounters with situations or people. Tavata is widely used in everyday speech, both for planned meetings and chance meetings.

Examples:

- Tapasin hänet eilen. (I met him yesterday.)

- Maanantaiksi sovimme, että tapataan kahvilassa. (We agreed to meet at the cafe on Monday.)

- Heidän tiensä kohtasivat sattumalta tavernassa. (Their paths crossed by chance in a tavern.)