Vältyimme

Vältyimme is a Finnish verb form meaning “we escaped” or “we were spared.” It is the first-person plural past tense (indicative) of the verb välttyä, which denotes avoiding danger, harm, or an undesired outcome. The verb välttyä is intransitive and typically describes circumstances in which people narrowly avoid something that could have affected them.

Grammatical note: Välttyä is a native Finnish verb that belongs to the common -ä finitary verb group. Its past indicative forms include vältyin, vältyit, välttyi, vältyimme, vältyitte, välttyivät. The form vältyimme appears when the subject is “we” and the action is completed in the past. Like other Finnish verbs, välttyä can be used in various tenses and with particles to adjust nuance, such as expressions of contrast or emphasis on the avoided outcome.

Usage: Vältyimme is typically used in contexts describing narrowly avoided danger, loss, or adverse events, as in scenarios involving accidents, injuries, or unwanted consequences. It can convey relief or gratitude that a negative outcome did not occur, and it is common in both literal and figurative language. It is contrasted with vältää or välttää, which convey more deliberate avoidance or preventive action.

Examples:

- Vältyimme vakavilta vammoilta onnettomuudessa.

- Lähes epäonnistuminen, mutta lopulta vältyimme suurilta menetyksiltä.

See also: välttyä, vältellä, välttää.