Velvoitamme

Velvoitamme is a Finnish verb form that means “we oblige” or “we bind (someone) to.” It is derived from the verb velvoittaa, which denotes imposing an obligation, requiring a duty, or binding someone to a course of action. In contemporary Finnish, velvoitettaa is more commonly encountered in written language, while velvoitamme is recognized as a first-person plural form in some grammatical descriptions, with velvoittelemme often cited as the standard present-tense form.

Grammatical notes and usage: Velvoitamme is a finite, active, first-person plural present tense form used to indicate that the speakers collectively impose an obligation. It takes an object that specifies what is being required, often followed by a clause or infinitive that describes the required action. For example: Me velvoitamme asiakkaan noudattamaan ehtoja. This conveys that the speakers require the other party to comply with the terms. The nuance of velvoittaa in general ranges from legal to moral obligation, and velvoitamme is typically found in formal or contractual language, policy statements, and organizational communications.

Related terms and nuance: The core concept is obligation or binding force. Related Finnish terms include velvoite (obligation, duty), velvoittaa (to obligate, to bind), and sitoutuminen (commitment). In practice, velvoitteiden asettaminen is a common way to describe the act of imposing duties, while velvoitetaan is the passive form meaning “is obligated” or “is being obliged.” The choice between velvoitamme and velvoittelemme reflects dialectal variation and stylistic preference in formal prose.