voidaan

Voidaan is the present passive form of the Finnish verb voida, meaning “to be able to.” It is used to express possibility, permission, or potential with an unspecified actor, producing an impersonal construction common in instructions, notices, and general statements.

Formation and usage: The present passive is formed with the suffix -aan/-ään, giving voidaan. In this construction the subject is not specified. Examples: “Täältä voidaan ostaa kahvia” (From here one can buy coffee). “Lisätietoja voidaan toimittaa sähköpostitse” (Further information can be provided by email). The past passive of voida is voitiin, used to indicate that something was possible to do in the past.

Notes: Voidaan expresses possibility or permission rather than obligation. It is common in public notices and formal writing because it avoids naming an agent. In contrast, with a defined subject one would use forms like voimme (we can) or voit (you can). The form is grammatical rather than a separate lexical entry, and it is a standard part of Finnish grammar for conveying general or impersonal potential.