arvotaan

Arvotaan is a Finnish verb form derived from arvata, meaning to guess or to estimate. It is the present passive form used to express an impersonal statement such as “it is estimated” or “one estimates.” The construction does not specify who performs the estimation; the agent is general or unknown, making it suitable for talking about consensus, forecasts, or approximate figures.

In usage, arvotaan is common in journalism, statistics, and public discourse when reporting approximate outcomes or forecasts. It is often followed by a clause starting with että, for example: Arvotaan, että työttömyysaste on noin seitsemän prosenttia. The phrasing signals that the figure or judgment is not definite and is based on current data, models, or expert opinion.

Grammatically, arvotaan is the present passive of arvata and is used with a broad, impersonal subject. It contrasts with active forms like arvaan (I guess) or arvaat (you guess) and with arvioidaan (it is estimated, but with a stronger nuance of formal assessment). The impersonal passive provides a neutral tone appropriate for reporting, summaries, and forecasts.

Etymologically, arvotaan comes from the verb arvata and the passive suffix -aan, forming an impersonal present tense. Related linguistic forms include arvaus (guess), arvio (estimate), and arvo (value or estimate). It should not be confused with arpon- or arvo- related words that refer to elections or lotteries, such as arva- versus arvonta.

See also: arvaus, arvio, arvokka, arvo, arvonta.