ponnistuksen

Ponnistus is a Finnish noun that denotes the act of exerting effort, a strenuous effort, or a push. It can refer to physical actions, such as lifting, pushing, or straining, as well as to a figurative effort or undertaking that requires significant energy or determination. The term is used across various contexts where force or effort is involved.

The word is formed from the verb pon-nistaa, meaning to exert, strain, or push with effort. In its basic form, ponnistus has the singular form ponnistus and the genitive form ponnistuksen; plural forms include ponnistukset and the genitive plural ponnistusten. Common adjectives and phrases describe the degree or kind of effort, for example, voimallinen ponnistus (a strong exertion) or pitkäaikainen ponnistelu (a prolonged effort).

In everyday language, ponnistus frequently appears in physical contexts, such as manual labor, exercise, or sports, where someone makes a deliberate push or strain. It also has a specialized use in obstetrics: ponnistukset refers to the pushing actions during the second stage of labor, and ponnistusvaihe is the pushing phase itself.

Examples of usage include: “Hän teki raskaan ponnistuksen noustakseen ylös” (He made a hard exertion to rise) and “synnytyksen ponnistusvaihe kesti noin tunnin” (the pushing stage of labor lasted about an hour). The term is neutral in tone and is primarily descriptive, conveying the idea of effort rather than evaluation.