Leaving Items to be Fixed
When you drop off your shoes or clothes for a professional to work on, you need a way to express that you are leaving them "to be repaired" or "to be patched." In Finnish, this is done by using the translative case of the passive present participle.
To build this form, take the passive participle (-tava or -tävä, which means "to be done") and add the translative ending -ksi (which expresses a role, state, or purpose).
- paikata (to patch) -> paikattava -> paikattavaksi (to be patched)
- korjata (to repair) -> korjattava -> korjattavaksi (to be repaired)
You will use this form frequently with verbs like jättää (to leave), antaa (to give), or viedä (to take).
| I leave my dress to the dressmaker to be patched. | Jätän mekkoni ompelijalle paikattavaksi. |
Explaining the Damage
Before handing your clothes over to a professional, it is helpful to know the vocabulary for what needs fixing, such as a seam (sauma) or a zipper (vetoketju).
| The seam and the zipper are broken. | Sauma ja vetoketju ovat rikki. |
You will often pair the -tavaksi form with verbs of necessity. Notice in the next example how on vietävä (must take) expresses what you have to do, while korjattavaksi (to be repaired) explains what will be done to the item.
| I must take the jacket to the dressmaker to be repaired, because the zipper is broken. | Minun on vietävä takki ompelijalle korjattavaksi, koska vetoketju on rikki. |
Visiting the Cobbler
If you are taking shoes in, you will visit the cobbler (suutari). Cobblers can stretch (venyttää), polish (kiillottaa), or maintain (huoltaa) your footwear.
Remember that vowel harmony applies here: verbs with front vowels (like ä, ö, y) take the -täväksi ending.
| Are you taking your shoes to the cobbler to be stretched because they are too tight? | Vietkö kenkäsi suutarille venytettäväksi, koska ne ovat liian tiukat? |
| I take the shoes to the cobbler to be maintained, because the heel and the shoelace are broken. | Vien kengät suutarille huollettavaksi, koska korko ja kengännauha ovat rikki. |