tavattiin

Tavattiin is the past passive form of the Finnish verb tavata, meaning to meet. In Finnish, the passive voice is used when the actor performing the action is unknown or not specified, or when the emphasis is on the encounter itself. Tavattiin therefore translates roughly as “was met” or “were met.”

Formation and usage: The past passive is formed by adding the ending -tiin to the verb stem, so tavata becomes tavattiin. The agent of the meeting is typically not stated; if the agent is needed, it can be indicated with a phrase such as by someone or by means of a person (for example, ystävän toimesta, by a friend). The passive form is common in narrative, reports, and everyday speech when the focus is on the event rather than who arranged it.

Examples:

- Heidät tavattiin juna-asemalla. They were met at the train station.

- Minut tavattiin ystävän toimesta. I was met by a friend.

Usage notes: Tavattiin is often used in news reports, travel notes, and personal anecdotes to convey that a meeting occurred without naming the organizers or participants. It contrasts with the corresponding active form, where the subject performing the meeting is explicit (esim. Joku tavasi heidät).

Related forms: The present passive form is tavataan, meaning “is met” or more generally “are met.” The active form is tavata, meaning “to meet.” The passive system in Finnish distinguishes tense and aspect mainly through endings rather than word order.