säilötään

Säilötään is a Finnish verb form that represents the passive present of säilöä, meaning to preserve or store. It is used when the agent performing the preservation is unknown, unimportant, or deliberately omitted, making the statement general or impersonal.

Form and usage: Säilötään is formed by adding the passive ending -tään to the verb stem säilö-, following Finnish vowel harmony. The construction denotes present tense with an indefinite subject. The corresponding active forms would specify the agent, such as "he säilövät" (they preserve). The past passive is säilöttiin, and other moods exist for different nuances.

Contexts and examples: Säilötään is common in formal or procedural texts, such as guidelines, archives, museums, food industry, and safety descriptions, where processes are described without naming actors. For example, "Keskiaikaiset esineet säilötään museossa" (Medieval artifacts are preserved in the museum) and "Elintarvikkeet säilötään kylmässä tilassa" (Food products are stored in a cold environment). The form supports impersonal documentation and standard operating procedures.

Etymology and related terms: The term derives from säilö-; related verbs include säilyttää (to keep, preserve) and säilöä (to preserve, to store). While säilötään focuses on the passive, säilyttää is often used when the emphasis is on keeping something in good condition for someone or over time, illustrating nuance in the Finnish verb system.