eksyä

eksyä is a Finnish intransitive verb meaning to go astray, to lose one’s way, or to be mistaken. It covers both literal misdirection—such as getting off a road or losing one’s path in a forest—and figurative misdirection, including following a false idea, plan, or belief. The term is used in everyday language as well as in literature to describe deviations from a course, from correctness, or from accuracy.

Usage and sense

In spatial contexts eksyä can describe physical disorientation, for example on a hike or in unfamiliar surroundings. Figuratively, it can refer to reasoning or judgment that has wandered from the truth or from a desired goal. The verb often appears with expressions about being misled, deviating from a plan, or holding misleading beliefs. It is common in both spoken and written Finnish, and it can carry neutral, descriptive, or cautionary connotations depending on context.

Grammatical notes

eksyä is an intransitive Finnish verb. Its infinitive form is ekseyä, and it follows the standard conjugation patterns of Finnish -yä verbs. The word forms across tenses align with typical patterns for this class of verbs, and related forms include eksyminen, a noun meaning “getting lost” or “being misled,” and eksynyt, a participle meaning “lost” or “misled.”

Related terms

Related concepts include harha (delusion or misbelief) and harhailla (to wander or wander intellectually, similar in metaphorical use). The verb is also connected to broader notions of error or deviation in reasoning, decision-making, and navigation.