selkiyttää

Selkiyttää is a Finnish verb meaning to make something clearer, to clarify or to elucidate, often by removing ambiguity or organizing information so that it is easier to understand. It is used for ideas, explanations, plans, processes, and arguments, and is common in discussions, presentations, and decision‑making contexts.

Etymology: the verb is formed from the adjective selkeä “clear” with the causative suffix -yttää, expressing the idea of making something clear. Related forms include selkeys (clarity) and, more broadly, selkeyttää as a related noun idea.

Usage and examples: It is transitive; the thing being clarified typically follows as the object: selkiyttää asian, selkiyttää tilannetta, selkiyttää projektin tavoitteet. Examples: Keskustelussa pyrittiin selkiyttämään päätöksen perusteet. Tiedot esitettiin tavalla, joka selkiyttää tilannetta. Esitys selkiyttää projektin tavoitteet ja vastuut.

Nuances and related terms: Selkiyttää is closely related to kirkastaa and selventää, which express similar ideas of making something clearer. Selkeys is the noun form referring to clarity, while selkiytyminen describes the process of becoming clearer. The choice among these terms depends on whether the emphasis is on the act of clarification, the result, or the clarity achieved.