vähetä

Vähetä is a Finnish verb meaning to become smaller or to decrease in amount, size, or intensity. It is relatively uncommon in modern standard Finnish and is mainly found in older texts, literary writing, or dialectal speech. The verb is typically used to describe a process of reduction, rather than a static state, and is often contrasted with more common expressions such as väheneminen (the decrease) or vähenyä (to decrease). In everyday language, speakers usually prefer these more common forms.

Etymology and related forms: Vähetä is formed from the same semantic core as vähe or vähäinen (little, few) and is closely related to other Finnish words that denote reduction, such as väheneminen (decrease) and vähentää (to reduce). The existence of vähetä reflects historical or regional usage where the idea of thinning or shrinking is foregrounded in a process sense.

Usage and context: Vähetä is used mainly to indicate a gradual thinning, shrinking, or reduction of something that can change in amount or intensity. It may appear in older prose, poetic language, or regional dialects. In contemporary standard Finnish, väheneminen, vähentyä, or vähentää are more common choices depending on whether the meaning is a natural decrease, an event causing reduction, or a causal action reducing something else.

Conjugation and grammar: Vähetä follows regular Finnish verb patterns for verbs ending in -ä. The exact endings align with standard conjugation for Finnish verbs, while the form is comparatively uncommon in everyday speech. As with other reduction-related terms, lexicographical references may prioritize väheneminen or vähentyä for most current usage.

See also: vähentyä, vähentää, väheneminen, vähäinen.