johtaa

johtaa is a Finnish verb meaning to lead, direct, or run something or someone. It is transitive and used with an object that denotes what is being led, for example Hän johtaa yritystä (He/She leads a company) or Hän johtaa tiimiä (He/She leads the team). It can also mean to conduct, as in leading an orchestra: johtaa orkesteria. In scientific or everyday language, it can mean to conduct or channel, as in metallit johtavat sähköä (metals conduct electricity).

Etymology and related forms: johtaa derives from the root johd-, found in the nouns johto (leadership, management, or a conductor) and johtaja (leader). The relation among johtaa, johtaja and johto underlines the core idea of guiding or directing. The verb forms follow regular Finnish conjugation patterns, with present tense forms such as johtaa (he/she leads) and past forms such as johti (led). Nouns derived from the same root include johtaminen (leadership, process of leading) and johto (leadership or electrical conductor).

Usage and nuances: johtaa is commonly used in business, politics, sports, and arts to describe responsible guidance or management. It can denote organizational leadership, project direction, or the act of guiding people or operations. In everyday language it also appears in phrases about directing actions, strategies, or plans, and in technical contexts to describe conducting phenomena, such as electricity or heat.

See also: johtaja, johto, johtaminen, ohjata, ohjaus. These terms are closely related and frequently appear in discussions of management, leadership, and guidance.