kotiutuu

Kotiutuu is a Finnish verb meaning to return home or to settle back into life at one’s home after a period of being away. It is used when a person reestablishes residence or normal routines in their homeland or home locale following study, work, travel, or exile. The term can refer to physical return as well as social reintegration, and it is commonly used in discussions of migration, travel, and reintegration processes.

Etymology and grammar: Kotiutua is formed from the word koti, meaning home, with the verbal suffix -utua. The verb is intransitive. In present tense, the form is kotiutuu (he/she/it returns home). Past tense forms include kotiutui. The negative form is ei kotiudu. Related noun forms include kotiutuminen (the act or process of returning home) and kotiuttaminen, which can refer to repatriation or bringing someone back to their home country, depending on context.

Usage and contexts: The term is common in discussions about returning to Finland after living abroad, or reintegrating into one’s home community after an extended absence. It is also used in organizational or institutional contexts to describe the process of repatriating personnel, students, or refugees, and in sports or employment to describe individuals who resume life in their home country after international assignments. Examples include: “Hän kotiutui Suomeen muutama kuukausi sitten työkomennuksesta.” and “Kotiutuminen voi vaatia sopeutumista jälleen perheeseen ja arkeen.”

See also: In English, kotiutuu is often translated as “to return home,” “to repatriate,” or “to homecoming,” and it emphasizes both physical return and social reintegration.