suhtaudut

Suhtaudut is the second-person singular present indicative form of the Finnish verb suhtautua. The verb means to relate to, regard, or treat something in a particular way, or to hold a stance toward a person, issue, or situation. It is commonly used to express one’s attitude or approach toward a matter, idea, or event. The construction typically includes a complement indicating what is being related to, such as a noun phrase or a clause, for example, “Miten suhtaudut tähän ehdotukseen?”

Grammatical notes: Suhtautua is a regular Finnish verb. The present tense forms are built on the stem suhtautu-: minä suhtaudun, sinä suhtaudut, hän suhtautuu, me suhtaudumme, te suhtaudutte, he suhtautuvat. The verb is often followed by a noun phrase or a clause that specifies the object of attitude, typically introduced by the pronoun or a prepositional phrase such as “tähän,” “kysymykseen,” or “siihen.”

Usage and nuance: Suhtaudutaan to express a stance or evaluation rather than a physical action. It can convey neutral, positive, or negative attitudes, depending on context and adverbs or adjectives, such as myönteisesti, kriittisesti, tai neutraalisti. The construction is common in both everyday language and formal writing, including journalism and analysis, where readers are described as how they relate to or perceive a given issue.

Related terms: The noun form is suhtautuminen (an attitude or approach). Related expressions include suhtautua johonkin (to relate to something), with modifiers like myönteisesti or kriittisesti to specify the stance.

Examples: Miten suhtaudut tähän muutokseen? and Tämä yritys suhtautuu haasteeseen myönteisesti.