odottakaa

Odottakaa is a Finnish grammatical form, specifically the second-person plural imperative of the verb odottaa, meaning "to wait." It is used to give a direct command to a group of people to wait.

In Finnish, the imperative mood has distinct forms for singular and plural subjects. The singular form is odota, while the plural form is odottakaa. The form is formed from the root odotta- with the imperative plural ending -kaa, a common suffix in Finnish for polite or plural imperatives. The pronunciation is approximately "oh-doh-TAH-kah," with the stress typically on the first syllable.

Usage notes: Odottakaa is common in everyday Finnish, especially in situations where an authority or speaker asks a group to hold on. It appears in conversations, public announcements, and written instructions. It can be followed by time expressions like hetki ("a moment") or paikka.

Examples:

- Odottakaa täällä, minä tulen pian.

- Odottakaa rauhallisesti, kiitos.

Variations include odota (singular), odottakaa (plural polite). See also Finnish grammar and imperative mood.