taakka

Taakka is a Finnish noun meaning burden or load. It can refer to a physical weight carried by a person or object, as well as to abstract burdens such as responsibilities, obligations, or emotional strain.

In everyday language taakka is used both literally and figuratively. Common expressions include taakka harteillani, meaning a burden on my shoulders, and taakka mielessä, meaning a burden on my mind. The term may describe difficulties affecting individuals or communities, for example a situation that is a taakka for society.

Etymology and usage context: Taakka is a native Finnish word and a part of the core Finnic lexicon. It is widely attested in standard Finnish and in dialects, usually conveying a sense of heaviness, obligation, or moral weight. It can be contrasted with terms like kuorma (load) or paino (weight) depending on nuance, where taakka emphasizes burden or obligation rather than mass alone.

See also: kuorma, paino, vastuu.