Herkkänä

Herkkänä is a form of the Finnish adjective herkkä, used to describe a state of being sensitive, delicate, or easily affected. It can refer to emotional sensitivity as well as physical responsiveness and is often used to express a temporary or situational condition. The word typically appears with the essive case (ending -na/-nä) to indicate “being in that state,” as in olla herkkänä meaning “to be sensitive/fragile at the moment.”

Grammatically, herkkänä is the essive form of the adjective. This contrasts with the adverbial form, which is usually -sti, as in herkästi meaning “delicately” or “sensitively.” While herkkänä describes a state, herkkä as an adjective describes a general quality, and herkästi describes the manner of action.

Usage and nuance

Herkkänä is used for both emotional and physical sensitivity. It can describe a person who is easily affected by stimuli or criticism, or someone who reacts strongly to sensory input such as sound, light, or touch. It can also convey perceived vulnerability in social or health-related contexts. In literary or figurative language, herkkänä can emphasize gentleness, fragility, or heightened perception.

Examples

- Hän on herkkänä melulle. (She is sensitive to noise.)

- Hän reagoi herkkänä palautteeseen. (She reacts to feedback in a sensitive way.)

- Hän on herkkänä luonteeltaan, surematon ja herkkä ympäristön tunteille. (He is emotionally sensitive and responsive to his surroundings.)

See also

- herkkä, the base adjective meaning sensitive or delicate

- essive case, the Finnish grammatical mood used to express a temporary state

Note: In everyday Finnish, alternatives like herkän tilassa or olla herkkänä are common, while adverbial expressions use -sti (delicately, sensitively).