tottelevasti

Tottelevasti is a Finnish adverb meaning “obediently” or “in an obedient manner.” It is derived from the adjective tottelevainen (obedient) and is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -sti to the stem tottelev-.

The word is used to describe the manner in which an action is performed, rather than the agent performing it. For example: “Koira tottelevasti tuli luokseni” (The dog came obediently to me) and “Lapsi tottelevasti kuunteli vanhempiaan” (The child listened to their parents obediently).

Nuance: tottelevasti implies compliance and willingness to follow instructions. In neutral descriptions it conveys disciplined behavior; in evaluative or literary contexts it can carry a subtle tone of submissiveness or lack of initiative.

Etymology and related forms: The verb totella means “to obey.” The word tottelevasti belongs to the same word family as the adjective tottelevainen (obedient); the adverbial form is created by adding -sti to the stem. Pronunciation in Finnish is roughly to-te-le-vas-ti.