arvostettiin

Arvostettiin is the imperfect passive form of the Finnish verb arvostaa, meaning to value, to respect, or to appreciate. In English it is rendered as “was valued,” “was appreciated,” or “was esteemed,” depending on the context. The passive form is used when the agent who performs the valuing is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally not stated, placing the emphasis on the evaluation by others.

Grammar and usage: arvostetaan is present passive, arvostettiin is imperfect past passive, and arvostettu is the past participle used as an adjective. The construction does not require a specified agent, which makes it common in reporting, summaries, and evaluative statements. Examples include: “Ideaa arvostettiin suuresti.” (The idea was highly valued.) “Hanketta arvostettiin korkealle.” (The project was valued highly.) “Päätöstä arvostettiin yleisesti.” (The decision was appreciated generally.)

Etymology and related terms: arvostaa derives from arvo, meaning value or worth, with the -staa suffix forming a verb meaning to value or esteem. Related nouns and verbs include arvostus (esteem, appreciation) and arvostaminen (the act of valuing or appreciating). The related adjective arvostettu means esteemed or valued, as in arvostettu professori (an esteemed professor).

Usage notes: The passive form often appears in formal, journalistic, or evaluative contexts where the actor is either unknown or not important. In contrast, the active form arvostaa specifies the subject performing the valuing (esim. tutkijat arvostavat …). The nuances depend on context and choice of synonyms such as kunnioittaa or arvostus.