Signification
Gain authority over a situation.
Contexte culturel
In Finnish companies, 'taking power' is often synonymous with 'taking responsibility'. People who step up are seen as reliable. Compared to Finland, Sweden focuses more on 'consensus'. Taking power unilaterally might be seen as more negative there than in Finland. In American business culture, 'taking charge' is highly celebrated. The Finnish 'ottaa valta' maps well to this, but is slightly more understated. In Japan, power is often taken through seniority and subtle influence rather than a sudden 'taking' of authority.
The 'tt' Rule
Remember that 'ottaa' has two t's, but when you say 'I take', it becomes 'otan' with one t. This is called consonant gradation.
Don't sound like a dictator
In a team setting, use 'ottaa ohjat' instead of 'ottaa valta' to sound more like a team player and less like a tyrant.
Signification
Gain authority over a situation.
The 'tt' Rule
Remember that 'ottaa' has two t's, but when you say 'I take', it becomes 'otan' with one t. This is called consonant gradation.
Don't sound like a dictator
In a team setting, use 'ottaa ohjat' instead of 'ottaa valta' to sound more like a team player and less like a tyrant.
Use with 'omiin käsiin'
Adding 'omiin käsiin' (into one's own hands) makes the phrase sound more dramatic and decisive: 'Hän otti vallan omiin käsiinsä'.
Sisu and Power
Finns respect those who take charge during a crisis. Don't be afraid to use this phrase to describe a hero.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of 'ottaa valta'.
Kun pomo lähti, Pekka ______ ______.
The sentence is in the past tense, so 'otti vallan' is the correct form.
Which sentence is most natural for a political news report?
The party wants to gain control.
'Ottaa vallan' is the standard way to describe gaining political control.
Match the Finnish phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are three distinct ways to talk about power in Finnish.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kuka johtaa tätä projektia? B: En tiedä, kukaan ei ole ______ ______.
In a negative sentence with 'ole', the partitive 'valtaa' is often used, or 'valtaa' to show the lack of ongoing action.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Power Verbs in Finnish
Synonyms and Related Terms
Formal
- • Ottaa vastuu
- • Astua johtoon
Informal
- • Ottaa ohjat
- • Ottaa homma haltuun
Aggressive
- • Kaapata valta
- • Jyrätä muut
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesKun pomo lähti, Pekka ______ ______.
The sentence is in the past tense, so 'otti vallan' is the correct form.
The party wants to gain control.
'Ottaa vallan' is the standard way to describe gaining political control.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are three distinct ways to talk about power in Finnish.
A: Kuka johtaa tätä projektia? B: En tiedä, kukaan ei ole ______ ______.
In a negative sentence with 'ole', the partitive 'valtaa' is often used, or 'valtaa' to show the lack of ongoing action.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsIt can be, but it's often neutral in professional contexts. It depends on the tone and the situation.
'Ottaa valta' implies a complete takeover, while 'ottaa valtaa' implies gaining some influence or an ongoing process.
No, for that you use 'istua' or 'ottaa paikka'. 'Valta' is only for authority.
Yes, when one team starts to dominate the game, you can say they are 'ottamassa valtaa'.
Use 'kaapata valta'. It's much more specific for illegal takeovers.
Yes, parents often say this humorously when a child is running the household.
The opposite is 'luovuttaa valta' (to give up power) or 'menettää valta' (to lose power).
It's neutral. You can use it in a newspaper or in a conversation with friends.
No, it can mean authority in a family, a company, or even a social group.
Yes, this is a very common and slightly more emphatic version of the idiom.
Yes, 'valtuusto' (council) comes from the same root 'valta'.
Minä otin, sinä otit, hän otti, me otimme, te otitte, he ottivat.
Expressions liées
ottaa ohjat
similarTo take the reins
kaapata valta
specialized formTo seize power / stage a coup
luovuttaa valta
contrastTo hand over power
olla vallassa
builds onTo be in power
ottaa vastuu
similarTo take responsibility
