Hankaluus

Hankaluus is a Finnish noun that denotes difficulty, trouble, or awkwardness arising from a situation, task, or interaction. It is used to describe obstacles, friction, or nuisances that complicate progress or handling of something.

Etymology and form: Hankaluus is formed from the adjective hankala, meaning difficult, with the abstract-noun suffix -uus. The word is neutral and widely used in both spoken and written Finnish. The plural form is hankaluudet, used when referring to multiple difficulties, while hankaluudelle or hankaluudesta show grammatical cases.

Usage and nuance: Hankaluus typically highlights practical or situational obstacles rather than abstract or severe problems. It can refer to administrative, logistical, or social complications. Examples include: Projekti on edistynyt, mutta siihen on liittynyt useita hankaluuksia. Puutteelliset ohjeet aiheuttavat hankaluutta päivittäisessä työssä. In social contexts, hankaluus can describe awkwardness or friction in interactions.

Related terms and translations: Common synonyms include vaikeus and ongelma, though hankaluus emphasizes inconvenience and friction rather than a core failure. In English, the closest translations are difficulty or trouble; equivalents in other languages include besvär in Swedish or dificultad in Spanish, depending on context.

See also: Finnish vocabulary on challenges and obstacles; related nouns formed from adjectives with the -uus suffix; usages in administrative, educational, and workplace discourse.