pakottaa

Pakottaa is a Finnish verb meaning to force, compel, or coerce someone to do something. It can refer to physical force as well as to pressure or obligation imposed by rules, authority, or circumstances. The act is typically external to the person who is forced. In everyday language, drawings on law, work, education, and interpersonal relations are common contexts. Example: “Laki pakottaa veronmaksun.” or “Opettaja pakottaa oppilaat olemaan hiljaa.”

Pakottaa is a transitive verb and takes a direct object referring to the person or group being compelled. It is commonly followed by an infinitive clause indicating what is being forced, for example: “pakottaa tekemään jotakin.” It can also take a finite clause such as “pakottaa hänet töihin.”

Conjugation and forms are regular within Finnish grammar. Present tense forms include: minä pakotan, sinä pakotat, hän pakottaa, me pakotamme, te pakotatte, he pakottavat. Imperfect forms are: minä pakotin, sinä pakotit, hän pakotti, me pakotimme, te pakotitte, he pakottivat. The perfect forms use the auxiliary olla plus the past participle: olen pakottanut, olet pakottanut, on pakottanut, olemme pakottaneet, olette pakottaneet, he ovat pakottaneet. The conditional is: pakottaisi, pakottaisimme, pakottaisitte, pakottaisivat. Imperative forms include: pakota! pakottakaa! Passive forms such as pakotetaan and pakotettiin are used to describe actions by external agents.

Related nouns include pakottaminen (the act of forcing) and pakko (obligation). Etymology: the verb is native Finnish, with sense tied to obligation or necessity; exact historical roots are not widely documented in concise sources.