miehittää

Miehittää is a Finnish verb meaning to occupy or to man. It is transitive and used primarily in two senses: to take control of a space or territory, and to supply personnel to staff or operate a post, facility, or vessel.

In the sense of occupying, miehittää describes establishing control over an area or institution, often by external authorities or during warfare, sometimes temporarily as part of an occupation. In the sense of manning, it describes providing personnel to operate or staff a location or vehicle, effectively ensuring it is staffed or crewed.

The word is formed from mies (man) with the causative suffix -ttää. The past participle is miehitetty, used in passive constructions meaning “occupied” or “manned.” Related noun forms include miehitys (occupation or manning), miehittäjä (occupier), and miehittäminen (the act of occupying or staffing).

In usage, miehittää commonly appears in historical or political contexts regarding occupations, as well as in logistical contexts involving staffing a post, vessel, or facility. The term often carries connotations of deliberate or organized action, whether by an occupying force or by an entity organizing personnel.

Examples include: "Sotavoimat miehittivät kaupungin." (The armed forces occupied the city.) "Kaupunki miehitettiin." (The city was occupied.) "Laiva miehitettiin." (The ship was manned.)