Tiheentyä

Tiheentyä is a Finnish intransitive verb that describes a change of state toward greater density or thickness. It can refer to a liquid or semi-liquid that becomes thicker, as well as to phenomena that grow more crowded or compact, such as fog, smoke, or a gathering of people. The term is commonly used in meteorology, cooking, and everyday description of changing textures or densities.

Etymologically, tiheentyä is formed from the adjective tiheä (dense, thick) with the suffix -nty- that marks a process or change of state, plus the infinitive ending. It belongs to a group of Finnish verbs that express gradual transformation rather than a single, deliberate action. In usage, it generally denotes a progressive change rather than a completed transition.

In practical use, tiheentyä describes natural and perceptible thickening. For example, sumu tiheentyy aamulla (the fog thickens in the morning). Kastike tiheentyy, kun se lämmitetään, meaning the sauce thickens as it is heated. It can also describe people: Väkeä tiheentyy aukion ympärillä tapahtuman lähestyessä, indicating the crowd denseens around the square as the event approaches. The verb emphasizes a state shift occurring over time rather than a momentary action.

See also: tiheä, tiheys, tiheentyminen.