piiloudu

Piiloudu is the imperative form of the Finnish verb piiloutua, meaning “hide yourself.” It is used to tell a person to conceal themselves, and it appears in everyday speech as well as in children's play. Piiloutua is a reflexive verb, typically used without a direct object, and piiloudu functions as a command directed at a single person. In contexts involving multiple people, other imperative forms would be used.

In practice, piiloudu is commonly heard in games and informal situations. It is a typical instruction in piiloleikki, the Finnish variant of hide-and-seek, where one person seeks while others hide. Beyond play, the verb can also be used more broadly to advise someone to become harder to find or to disappear from view, for example in casual, situational speech.

Phonology and morphology: piiloudu is pronounced with Finnish vowel purity and clear consonants, roughly as [ˈpiː.lou.du]. The form is part of the larger verb piiloutua, whose root relates to the concept of a hideout (piilo). The noun piilo means a hiding place or shelter, and it is the semantic source for related terms in Finnish.

See also: piiloleikki, piilo.

Note: The article focuses on the verb form piiloudu and its typical uses in Finnish. For grammatical details beyond singular imperative usage, consulting a Finnish grammar is recommended.