eitoivotusti

eitoivotusti is a Finnish word that translates to "unfortunately" or "regrettably" in English. It is commonly used to express a sense of disappointment, sadness, or bad luck concerning a particular situation or outcome. The word is formed by combining "ei" (not) and "toivotusti" (hopefully, as hoped). Therefore, literally, it means "not hopefully" or "contrary to hope."

This adverb is frequently employed in everyday conversation and written Finnish to soften negative news or to acknowledge that a desired outcome did not materialize. For instance, if someone missed a train, they might say, "Myöhästyin junasta, eitoivotusti" (I missed the train, unfortunately). It can also be used to express sympathy or understanding when something undesirable happens to someone else. The usage of eitoivotusti is widespread and it serves as a polite and nuanced way to convey negative sentiment. Its presence in a sentence typically signals that the speaker is about to deliver or comment on an unfavorable piece of information.