lähetati

lähetati is a Finnish word that translates to "was sent" or "were sent" in English. It is the past passive participle of the verb "lähettää," which means "to send." This form is used to indicate that an action of sending was performed on a subject, but the subject itself did not perform the action.

For example, in the sentence "Kirje lähetati eilen," the word "lähetati" signifies that the letter (kirje) was sent yesterday. The subject of the sentence is the letter, and it received the action of being sent. It could also be used in a plural context, such as "Paketit lähetati yhdessä," meaning "The packages were sent together."

The grammatical function of "lähetati" is to convey a passive voice construction in the past tense. Finnish grammar distinguishes between active and passive voice, and "lähetati" is a common way to express the passive voice for the verb "lähettää." Understanding this form is crucial for comprehending Finnish sentences where the focus is on the object or recipient of the action rather than the doer. It is a fundamental element of Finnish verb conjugation.