taistellaan

Taistellaan is a Finnish verb form derived from taistella, meaning to fight. It represents the present tense in the first-person plural used in the passive voice and is commonly interpreted as a hortative expression meaning “let us fight” or, depending on context, “we fight.” The form is frequent in political, social, and collective-action language, where it functions as a rallying cry to mobilize effort against an opponent, obstacle, or problem.

Usage and nuance: In standard Finnish, taistellaan acts as a directive-like phrase that includes the speaker and others. It appears in slogans, speeches, articles, and protest statements. While it can convey a sense of action, it is often less a simple statement of fact and more a call to unite and act.

Translations: The closest English equivalents are “let us fight” and, in some contexts, “we fight.”

Examples:

- Taistellaan oikeudenmukaisuuden puolesta. Let us fight for justice.

- Taistellaan yhdessä köyhyyttä vastaan. Let us fight poverty together.

Etymology and form: Taistellaan comes from taistella (to fight) with a present passive form used for a first-person plural reference, producing a phrase that functions as a collective exhortation. The expression is widely understood in Finnish as an inclusive summons to joint action.