hoitakse

Hoitakse is a Finnish verb form derived from the verb hoitaa, meaning to take care of or to handle. It functions as a passive form, where the agent performing the action is not specified. In standard Finnish, the most common present passive form of hoitaa is hoidetaan. Hoitakse is less common and tends to appear in older literary texts, certain formal registers, or dialects.

Grammatical role and usage

Hoitakse represents a way to express a passive action without naming the actor. It can convey a generalized or impersonal sense, where care or handling is described without attributing the action to a particular subject. Because it is not part of everyday colloquial Finnish, hoitakse is most often encountered in historical writings, formal documentation, or stylistic prose.

Relation to other forms

Standard Finnish typically uses hoidetaan for present passive statements like “it is taken care of.” Other related forms include hoitaa (active), hoitamiseen and hoitaakseen in infinitive constructions, and various imperative or conditional forms such as hoitakoon. Hoitakse sits among a set of passive or semi-passive endings that speakers may encounter in more formal or literary contexts.

Context and overview

Hoitakse highlights how Finnish can express agency implicitly through passive constructions. While not as productive in modern everyday speech as hoidetaan, it remains a recognized form within the language’s range of passive and impersonal expressions, illustrating the diversity of Finnish verb morphology and style. See also Finnish grammar, passive voice, and the verb hoitaa for related concepts.