epäile

Epäile is the imperative singular form of the Finnish verb epäillä, meaning to doubt or to suspect. As a word, it is used to command someone to doubt or to question the truth or reliability of something. The base infinitive form is epäillä, and the verb is transitive, usually taking an object in the partitive or a clausal complement.

In Finnish, epäillä is conjugated in the present tense as follows: minä epäilen, sinä epäilet, hän epäilee, me epäilemme, te epäilette, he epäilevät. The language allows arguing or challenging information by using the verb with a direct object or a subordinate clause, for example epäillä jotakin (to doubt something) or epäillä, että ... (to doubt that ...).

Usage notes emphasize that epäillä often introduces skepticism about the truth, accuracy, or credibility of a statement or claim. The construction with jotakin is common, and writers may also place the doubt within a larger clause, such as epäilen, että hän puhuu totta (I doubt that he is telling the truth).

Common related terms include epäily (doubt, suspicion) and epäilijä (skeptic). Epäile is primarily used in direct address or as part of a broader imperative statement, and it can appear in both formal and informal contexts, depending on tone and register.

Examples:

- Epäile hänen tarinansa todenperäisyyttä.

- Epäile, oletko varmasti varma tästä päätöksestä.