heilahtua

Heilahtua is a Finnish intransitive verb meaning to swing, sway, or tilt suddenly, or to be jolted or knocked off balance. It can describe the physical motion of objects such as trees, shelves, or people and animals that lose balance or are unsettled by wind, impact, or a push. The verb can also be used figuratively to indicate a sudden change in mood, stance, or course of events.

Usage examples include a tree that heilahti in the wind, a shelf that tilts to the side, or a plan that suddenly changes direction. In everyday speech it often conveys a sense of a brief, noticeable instability rather than a sustained movement.

Grammatical notes: heilahtua is an intransitive Finnish verb. Common forms include heilahtuu (present), heilahti (past), and heilahtunut (perfect participle). Like many Finnish -ua verbs, it forms its different tenses by changes in the ending rather than auxiliary verbs. It is typically used with a subject that undergoes the motion or change described.

Etymology and related forms: heilahtua is a native Finnish verb. It is connected to related nouns and verbs such as heilahtus (a swing or shake) and heilahdella (to swing or sway). The term is widely understood across Finnish-speaking regions and appears in both colloquial and formal contexts.