# Kääntää



## ThomasK

I'd like to hear what you associate with this part. I have read all kinds of derivations and compounds, but what do you consider the main meaning of this element? And could you illustrate that ?


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## Grumpy Old Man

_Se täytyy kääntää suomeksi. _(It must be translated into Finnish.)
_Sinun täytyy kääntää päätäsi. _(You must turn your head.)

GOM


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## ThomasK

So there is turning and the idea of changing, converting in it then. 

I noted that _*kääntymus*_ is conversion in the faith sense; also in converting money?


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## Grumpy Old Man

The word is _kääntym*y*s._ It is rather uncommon and mostly used in religious contexts. If you mean _exchanging money_, that is _rahanvaihto_ in Finnish. No word derived from or related to _kääntää, kääntyä, kääntymys_ etc. has anything to do with money exchange in Finnish.

GOM


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## sakvaka

And in physics, _muuntaa_ (transform) is used to replace "convert from a unit to another".


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## ThomasK

Thanks. It is mainly because I am exploring whether the parallel signalled by the Dutch om- is also reflected in other languages. It reminds me of the fact that we have two translations of exchange: _uitwisselen_ (_cadeaus_, presents), _[om-]wisselen_ (money for example) and _ruilen_ (barter: goods in exchange for others).


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