laitettaan

Laitettaan is a Finnish verb form used in the language to express a passive action involving a device or object. It is derived from the verb laittaa (to put, place, or prepare) and functions in a present passive sense. The form is most commonly found in formal, impersonal, or technical writing, where the agent performing the action is not stated. In such contexts, statements describe what should be done or what is done in general, rather than who does it.

Usage and tone: Laitettaan is associated with a formal or bureaucratic register. It often appears in manuals, safety instructions, regulations, and product specifications. Because it omits the agent, the form emphasizes the action itself and the standard procedure rather than the actor. In everyday speech, speakers are more likely to use more common passive forms such as laitetaan or other paraphrases to convey the same idea, depending on the desired tone.

Grammatical notes: Finnish has a range of passive constructions, and laitettaan represents one instance of a finite passive form derived from laittaa. The exact nuances depend on context, sentence structure, and regional usage, and the form can sound archaic or overly formal outside technical writing. It is related to other verb forms built from the same root and to the broader Finnish passive voice system, which often aims to neutralize the agent in instructional or descriptive text. See also Finnish passive voice and laittaa for further context.