---
title: Use of Affect, Effect, Influence, and Impact
description: Käytä Affect, Effect, Influence, ja Impact- termejä oikein englanniksi. Lue blogimme ja paranna kielitaitoasi!
---

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# [Use of Affect, Effect, Influence, and Impact](https://www.galimatias.com/en/blog/use-of-affect-effect-influence-and-impact)

 Written by [Rytkönen Claire](https://www.galimatias.com/en/blog/author/rytkönen-claire) | Jan 31, 2025 7:28:02 AM

*Affect*, *effect,* *influence*, and *impact* can be confusing because they often overlap in meaning. They all often translate as “ vaikuttaa” or “vaikutus” in Finnish but they have subtle differences in use in English. These words can be verbs or nouns all refering to something causing a change, but the strength and context of the change vary. This is tricky but lets look at how to handle them correctly.

## **Verb Use: No preposition added**

- **Influence**: Used for a neutral or positive change, often softer and involving people. Example: *We want to influence decision making.*
- **Affect**: Typically refers to a negative or neutral change. Would **not** be used in a positive situation. Example: *The strike affected public transport.*
- **Impact**: Implies a strong effect. Sometimes considered too strong to be used as a verb (especially in UK English). Example: *The proposals will impact the paper industry.*
- **Effect**: This word as a verb **does not mean “vaikuttaa”** – it means implement or carry out. Example: *It took a year to effect the reforms.*

| **Use of Verb** | **Finnish equivalent** | **Sample sentence** |   |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| To influence an issue (neutral/positive/ human to human) (softer) | Vaikuttaa asiaan | We want to influence decision making. |   |
| To affect an issue (neutral/ negative) | Vaikuttaa asiaan | The strike affected public transport. |   |
| To impactan issue (Positive/neutral/negative) (strong) | Vaikuttaa asiaan | The proposals will impact the paper industry. |   |
| To effect a change | Suorittaa muutos | It took a year to effect the reforms. |   |

 

## **Noun Use: Influence, Impact, and Effect + preposition “on”**

- **Influence**: Can be positive, neutral, or negative. Example: *The manager had a great influence on the process.*
- **Effect**: Also positive, neutral or negative, referring to the result of an action. Example: *The weather will have an effect on festival ticket sales.*
- **Impact**: Stronger than "effect," often referring to a significant change. Example: *The motorway had a notable impact on local residents.*
- **There is no noun from the verb “effect” meaning implementation**: Instead we would talk about the implementation or execution. Example: *The implementation of the new law was complex.*

| **Use of Noun** | **Finnish equivalent** | **Sample sentence** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| an influence **on** business (Positive/neutral/negative) | Vaikutus liiketoimintaan | The manager had a great influence on the process. |
| an **e**ffect **on** business (Positive/neutral/negative) | Vaikutus liiketoimintaan | The weather will influence festival ticket sales. |
| an impact **on** business (Positive/neutral/negative)(Stronger) | Vaikutus liiketoimintaan | The motorway had a notable impact on residents. |
| (No noun from the verb “effect) Use implementation The implementation of a law | Lain täytäntöönpano | The implementation of the new law was complex. |

 

Now try this quiz to test your knowledge: 

<https://www.galimatias.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKwLT4yrMPfNFIgvxoY0CIh9dZgqn6Uk1xo9lFpgZy%2FUkLd5ULK%2FElmNvZ%2BC5BlIEqi%2FYfKkmiwASLk94UVLoFzKB2VMMPeoa35iwWouiABcgpKH%2BF9DlEf0FoFi7HE4ZIL0DjRLQ3SWuZRaI4ak1tFjsf%2BmCFjSO25GO341aQVjfOZV8AD2fw%3D&webInteractiveContentId=205363707105&portalId=417686&hsLang=en>

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