Erilaisen

Erilainen is a Finnish adjective meaning different, distinct, varied, or unusual, depending on context. It is built from the stem eri meaning different and the suffix -lainen, which forms adjectives indicating belonging to a kind or category. The word is widely used to describe objects, methods, people, or ideas that differ from what is typical or expected. In addition to its literal sense, erilainen can convey nuance ranging from neutral contrast to emphasis on peculiarity, depending on tone and context.

Grammatical notes: as a typical Finnish adjective, erilainen inflects to agree with the noun it modifies. The form erilaisen is the genitive singular, used to express possession or relation (for example, erilaisen lähestymistavan = of a different approach). Other inflected forms include erilainen (nominative singular), erilaista (partitive singular), erilaiset (nominative plural), erilaisten (genitive plural), and erilaisia (partitive plural). The related noun erilaisuus means “difference, variety, distinctness.”

Usage and nuance: erilainen is common in everyday speech and writing. It often contrasts with erikoinen (peculiar) or tavanomainen/tyypillinen (typical) to highlight a deviation from a standard. It can describe qualities, methods, products, opinions, or perspectives—any case where one thing is of a different kind than another.

Translations: commonly rendered as “different,” “different kind,” or “unusual.” Related terms include eri (differently, various), erilaistuminen (diversification), and erilaisuus (difference).

See also: eri, erilaisuus, erikoinen, poikkeuksellinen.