Ylistää

Ylistää is a Finnish verb meaning to praise, extol, or laud. It is a transitive verb used to commend a person, achievement, or thing, or to praise God in religious or ceremonial language. The direct object is usually in the partitive case when indefinite (for example, Hän ylistää ystävää), and can be in the accusative or genitive form depending on definiteness and aspect (for example, Hän ylisti ystävää; Jumalaa ylistetään).

Conjugation and forms follow the pattern of regular -ä verbs. Present tense: minä ylistän, sinä ylistät, hän ylistää. Imperfect (past) tense: minä ylistin, sinä ylistit, hän ylisti. The present participle is ylistävä, and the past participle is ylistänyt. The passive voice is formed as ylistetään, meaning “is praised.” The noun ylistys denotes praise or laudation, and related forms include ylistäminen (the act of praising).

Usage and nuance: ylistää often carries a formal or emphatic tone, and is common in public speech, religious contexts, and literary language. It is stronger than the more everyday kehua (to compliment or praise) and can verge on hyperbole in media or rhetoric. It can be used for both praise of people and admiration of works or achievements, as well as for praising deities in liturgical or devotional contexts.

Etymology and related terms: ylistää is a native Finnish verb deriving from the noun ylistys, meaning praise. Related concepts include kehua (praise in a less formal sense) and ylpeys (pride) in related but distinct notions.