riidellä

Riidellä is a Finnish verb meaning to argue, to quarrel, or to be involved in a dispute with someone. It describes the act of having a heated exchange over a matter of disagreement or opinion. The most common construction is riidellä jonkun kanssa, meaning to argue with someone. The noun riita denotes the quarrel or dispute itself, and related verbs such as väitellä (to debate) emphasize a more reasoned form of disagreement.

Riidellä carries a somewhat informal or colloquial tone and is frequently used in everyday speech. In formal writing, more neutral terms like keskustella, väitellä, or olla erimielinen may be preferred, depending on the context. The verb is typically used about interpersonal conflicts, but can also refer to disputes in other settings (work, politics, public debates).

A note on nuance: riidellä often implies emotional intensity or personal conflict, while väitellä focuses more on argumentation and presenting arguments. The choice between riidellä and related verbs helps convey the speaker's attitude toward the disagreement.

Grammatical note: riidellä is a regular Finnish verb and can be conjugated in all tenses and moods like other Finnish verbs, adapting to the subject and aspect of the sentence. Related nouns include riita and riitely, which refer to the quarrel or the act of arguing, respectively.

See also: riita, riitely, väitellä.