vakautua

Vakautua is a Finnish verb meaning to become stable or to stabilize. It is used for situations, conditions, markets, emotions and other states that move toward steadiness or predictability. The form is intransitive, often describing a process rather than a deliberate action performed on something else.

Etymology and related forms: the word derives from vaka- meaning stable, with the suffix -utua to form an intransitive verb. Related nouns include vakaus (stability) and the adjective vakaa (stable). The transitive counterpart vakauttaa means “to stabilize something,” as in a policy measure intended to stabilize the economy. Vakaantua is a related verb that some speakers use with a nuance of becoming established more gradually; contexts may overlap with vakautua.

Conjugation and usage: infinitive vakautua; present vakautuu; past vakautui; perfect participle vakautunut. Examples: Talous vakautuu nykytilanteessa. (The economy is stabilizing in the current situation.) Tilanne vakautui viime viikolla. (The situation stabilized last week.) Hallitus voi vakauttaa tilannetta lisätoimilla. (The government can stabilize the situation with additional measures.) Hänen mielensä on vakautunut. (His mind has become steadier / calmer.)

Nuances: vakautua often emphasizes the development toward stability after disturbance, while vakauttaa focuses on actively stabilizing something external. Vakautus or vakauttaminen are common nouns for the process of stabilization.

See also: vakaus, vakaa, vakautus, vakauttaminen.