Teitittely

Teitittely is the Finnish term for the formal you, a politeness strategy used to address one or more people with social distance or respect. It relies on the second-person plural verb forms and the pronoun te, even when addressing a single person. This contrasts with sinuttelu, the informal you used among friends, family, or peers.

Usage and function: Teitittely is common in customer service, public administration, education, healthcare, media, and formal written communications. It signals professionalism, distance, or courtesy. The choice between teitittely and sinuttelu depends on context, relationship, age, and perceived formality; strangers, older individuals, or officials are often addressed with teitittely.

Grammatical features and examples: In teitittely, verbs adopt the second-person plural endings. Examples include: "Mitä haluatte?" (What would you like?), "Voisitteko auttaa?" (Could you help?), and "Haluatteko kahvia?" (Would you like coffee?). Possessive and location forms also reflect teitittely, as in "teidän" (your) and "teillä" (on/at you).

History and trends: Teitittely originated as a plural-form of address to show respect and social distance. In contemporary Finnish, its use varies by generation and setting. Many younger Finns use sinuttelu with acquaintances or in informal service contexts, while teitittely remains standard in formal interactions and with unfamiliar or older individuals. Some workplaces strive for a balance, allowing user preference to guide formality.

Overall, teitittely remains a central feature of Finnish politeness and social communication, shaping tone in formal encounters and written text.