selittäisittekö

Selittäisittekö is a Finnish verb form used to politely ask someone to explain something. It is derived from the verb selittää, meaning to explain, and is constructed in the conditional mood with a second-person plural (or formal) address plus the question particle. The form signals a courteous request rather than a direct statement or command.

In use, selittäisittekö is common in formal or respectful contexts, such as academic discussions, professional settings, or written communication where politeness is prioritized. It can introduce a request for clarification or more detailed explanation. For example: Selittäisittekö tämän vielä vähän tarkemmin? (Would you explain this a bit more precisely?)

Nuances and alternatives: Finnish offers several polite question constructions depending on register and number of listeners. More informal equivalents include voisitko selittää? (Could you explain?) and, in formal or group-address situations, selittäisitteko? or selittäisittehan? The choice among these forms affects tone and formality.

Grammatical note: selittäisittekö is the interrogative form of the conditional mood of selittää, combined with the second-person plural or polite address and the question particle -ko. As with other Finnish politeness strategies, the exact form is chosen to suit context, audience, and desired level of courtesy.