Tippailla

Tippailla is a Finnish verb that generally describes delivering, applying, or occurring in small droplets. The core sense involves liquid moving slowly in tiny amounts, whether by dripping, sprinkling, or trickling. In everyday language it can refer to both literal drizzle and more figurative practices, such as distributing information or resources gradually.

Etymology and meaning variants. The word derives from the noun tippa, meaning a drop, combined with the suffix -illa to form a verb that conveys the action of causing or performing something in drops. Tippailla is a regular -lla verb in its conjugation, and it can be used transitively with an object (tippailla öljyä kastikkeeseen) or intransitively to describe phenomena that drip on their own (vesi tippailee).

Usage. In cooking, tippailla is used to describe adding liquids slowly to control texture or flavor, for example by dripping oil into a sauce. In laboratory or medical contexts, it can denote controlled dosing from a dropper. Descriptions of weather or condensation may employ the term to convey light drizzling or intermittent dripping. Figuratively, it can appear in discourse about gradual disclosure of information or incremental changes.

Grammatical notes. Tippailla is commonly seen in the -illa infinitive form tippailla, with participles such as tippaillut and tippaillessa appearing in various tenses. It is compatible with standard Finnish syntax and can take particles or case endings as required by context.

See also. tippa (drop), drip, sprinkle.