kilpailtiin

Kilpailtiin is a Finnish verb form that functions as the past passive of kilpailla, meaning to compete or to take part in a contest. The form is created from the verb stem kilpaill- with the passive past tense suffix -tiin, and it is invariable for person and number, as is typical for Finnish passives.

In usage, kilpailtiin is used to describe events in which competition occurred without specifying the agent. It is often translated as “competition was held” or “they competed,” depending on context, and is common in reports, summaries, and descriptions of organized events such as tournaments or races. For example, "Kilpailtiin useissa luokissa" can be rendered as “Competitions were held in several classes.” To indicate organizers or participants, additional clauses or agentive phrases are used, since the passive form itself does not encode a specific subject.

Relation to other forms: The active past tense of kilpailla is kilpailivat ("they competed"), which explicitly marks the actor. Kilpailtiin contrasts with kilpaillaan (present passive) and kilpaileminen (gerund/infinitive nominalization), and it sits within Finnish tense and mood systems that rely on suffixes rather than per-person verb endings.

Etymology and related terms: Kilpailtiin derives from kilpailla, with the passive past suffix -tiin. Related words include kilpailu (competition), kilpaileminen (competing), and kilpaileva (competitive). The form is a grammatical tool for presenting events in a neutral, impersonal manner.