pidä

Pidä is the imperative singular form of the Finnish verb pitää, meaning “to hold,” “to keep,” or, in a broader sense, to be obliged or required. It is used when directing someone to perform an action or to maintain a certain state.

Common uses include physical holding, keeping or taking care of something, and giving instructions. Examples: Pidä kiinni! “Hold on!” Pidä huolta itsestäsi. “Take care of yourself.” Pidä tämä mielessä. “Keep this in mind.” Pidä työsi siistinä. “Keep your work tidy.” The imperative is frequently employed in everyday speech for commands, warnings, or guidance.

Grammatical notes: Pidä is the second-person singular imperative form used in direct address. Finnish also has plural and polite forms for addressing more than one person or a single person in a different register; these forms differ from pidä in form and are not identical to the singular imperative. The verb belongs to a broader family of forms derived from the infinitive pitää, and appears in many fixed phrases and constructions.

Etymology and related forms: Pidä comes from the Finnish verb pitää, which traces back to a Proto-Finnic root meaning “to hold.” Related words include pitää (infinitive), pitävä (present participle/adjective meaning “holding/necessary”), pidetty (past participle, “held”), and pitäminen (gerund/nominal form “holding/taking care”).

See also: pitää (the base verb), pidettävä, pitäminen, and common Finnish imperatives.