loikkia

Loikkia is a Finnish verb meaning to leap or hop. It describes a brief, rapid jumping movement in which the jumper lifts off the ground and lands a short distance away. The action can be performed by people, animals, or representations of jumping, and it is used in everyday speech as well as in sports and physical education.

Etymology: Loikkia is derived from the noun loikka, meaning a leap or jump. The verb shares its core meaning with the noun and appears in standard Finnish.

Usage: Loikkia is predominantly intransitive and is commonly used with directional or locative expressions, such as loikkia yli aidan (to leap over the fence) or loikkia eteenpäin (to leap forward). In sports contexts, it describes jumping actions in drills or events, with more specialized terms like hyppy used for longer or higher jumps. The word also appears in idiomatic and metaphorical language to convey sudden or improvisational action.

Grammar: Loikkia belongs to Finnish verbs of the -kia class; the infinitive is loikkia. Conjugation follows the standard patterns for -kia verbs, with present, past, and perfect tenses formed according to regular rules. Like other Finnish verbs, forms vary by person and number. Adverbs of manner such as nopeasti (quickly) or korkealle (high) may accompany loikkia to indicate speed or height.

See also: loikka, hyppy, loikkaus.