Ajankohtaisen

Ajankohtaisen is the genitive singular form of the Finnish adjective ajankohtainen, which means current, topical, or timely. In Finnish, adjectives agree with the noun they modify in number and case, so ajankohtaisen is used before a noun in the genitive singular to express “of the current topical [thing]” or to form a noun phrase with a definite sense of timeliness.

Etymology and forms: The word comes from ajankohta meaning time or moment, combined with the adjectival suffix -inen. Other related forms include ajankohtainen (nominative singular), ajankohtaiset (nominative plural), and the partitive form ajankohtaista. The genitive plural would be ajankohtaisten, and the partitive plural ajankohtaisia. Understanding these forms helps in recognizing how the adjective integrates into different noun phrases.

Usage and nuance: Ajankohtainen describes topics, issues, or items that are relevant to the present time or current events. It is often used in media, politics, and public discourse to label topics that are being actively discussed. It is distinct from ajantasainen, which more specifically conveys “up-to-date” in terms of accuracy or currency of information, rather than merely timeliness.

Examples:

- ajankohtaisen aiheen käsittely (the treatment of the current topic)

- ajankohtaisen kysymyksen vaikutukset (the effects of the current question)

See also: ajankohtainen, ajantasainen, ajankohtaisuus.