harrastatakse

Harrastetaan is the present passive form of the Finnish verb harrastaa, meaning to engage in or pursue as a hobby. In Finnish, the passive voice is used to state that an activity is performed without specifying who performs it, making statements more general or widely applicable.

Formation and grammar: The passive suffix -etaan is added to the verb stem harrast- to form harrastetaan. The subject of the sentence is not stated; the agent may be left implicit or introduced with a separate phrase. The passive form can take objects in the partitive case, for example valokuvausta harrastetaan (photography is pursued). The active equivalents are harrastan (I pursue as a hobby) and harrastaa (he/she/they pursue as a hobby).

Usage: Harrastetaan is common in reporting, surveys, and general descriptions of popular activities. It conveys a sense of general practice rather than attributing the activity to specific individuals. It contrasts with active forms such as harrastan or harrastaa, which specify who performs the hobby. The word can be combined with a wide range of hobbies, like sports, arts, or cultural activities.

Examples:

- Valokuvausta harrastetaan paljon. (Photography is widely pursued.)

- Jooga ja tanssi harrastetaan monissa suomalaiskodeissa. (Yoga and dancing are pursued in many Finnish homes.)

- Harrastamisen iloa korostetaan usein kouluissa. (The joy of having hobbies is often emphasized in schools.)

Related terms: harrastus (hobby, pastime) as the activity itself, and harrastamisen (the act of having a hobby) as a gerund form.

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