muuntaa

Muuntaa is a Finnish verb meaning to convert, transform, or alter something from one form to another. It is used in technical, scientific, computing, and everyday language to describe deliberate changes in form, state, or representation. The action is transitive, typically taking a direct object such as a file, a measurement, or a data value, and often specifying the target form (for example: muuntaa tiedosto PDF-muotoon, muuntaa mittayköt centimetreiksi). The infinitive form of the verb is muuntaa.

Etymology and related forms: The word derives from muunto, meaning transformation or conversion, with the -a suffix that forms a verb. Related words include muunto (transformation), muunnos (transformation or metamorphosis), and muunnin (converter). These terms appear in contexts such as data processing, measurement, and device design.

Usage and nuance: Muuntaa is used when something is actively changed from one representation or unit to another. It is distinct from kääntää (to translate from language) and from muuntua (to undergo change or to be transformed). Muuntaa often appears in technical instructions, software interfaces, and educational explanations describing how inputs are converted to outputs.

Examples:

- Ohjelma muuntaa kuvan PNG-tiedostosta JPEG-tiedostoksi.

- Laskin muuntaa lämpötilan Celsius-asteet Fahrenheitiksi.

See also: muunto, muunnos, muunnin, muuntua.