tehtava

Tehtävä is a Finnish noun meaning a thing that must be done, i.e., a task, assignment, or duty. It can refer to a specific piece of work to be carried out, a responsibility in a job, or, in educational contexts, a problem or exercise to be solved. In computing or project management, tehtävä also denotes a discrete unit of work.

Etymology: The word derives from the verb tehdä, “to do.” The suffix -vä forms nouns that describe that which is to be done, giving tehtävä the sense of “that which is to be done” or “a task.”

Usage: In schools, teachers give tehtäviä as assignments or exercises; “tee seuraava tehtävä” means “do the next task.” In the workplace, tehtävä can mean a job assignment or duty, as in “vastuu ja tehtävät” (responsibilities and tasks). In mathematics or language studies, tehtävä refers to an exercise or problem. The compound kotitehtävä means homework, and tehtävälista refers to a to-do list.

Translations and nuance: The closest English equivalents are task, assignment, duty, or job. The exact translation depends on context: a school task is often an exercise or problem, while a work-related tehtävä is a duty or project to complete.

Related terms: kotitehtävä (homework), tehtävälista (to-do list), virkatehtävä (official duty). Tehtävä is a flexible term that covers everyday duties as well as formal assignments.