loistamme

Loistamme is the present indicative form of the Finnish verb loistaa, which means to shine, glitter, or excel. It is the first-person plural form, translating to “we shine” or “we are brilliant.” The form can describe literal brightness or metaphorical excellence, depending on the context.

Etymology and grammar: loistaa is a regular Finnish verb whose stem is loist-. The ending -mme marks the first-person plural in the present tense, giving loistamme meaning “we shine.” Finnish verb conjugation uses subject endings rather than explicit subject pronouns, so loistamme inherently includes the “we” subject.

Usage: In everyday Finnish, loistamme can describe physical light or performance. Literal examples include weather or lighting contexts, while metaphorical uses refer to success or outstanding quality in a group effort. For instance, me loistamme tässä projektissa would translate as “we excel in this project,” and me loistamme koulutuksessa could mean “we excel in training.”

Related forms and notes: The root loist- appears in related nouns and adjectives such as loisto (splendor, brilliance) and loistava (brilliant, splendid). The verb loistaa also forms other tenses and moods (e.g., loistan, loistaa, loistaa), used for different subjects and times. Finnish verbs rely on stem changes and endings rather than auxiliary verbs to express tense.

See also: loistaa, loisto, loistava, kirkkaus.