Kohtuullisesta

Kohtuullisesta is the elative singular form of the Finnish adjective kohtuullinen, meaning reasonable, moderate, fair, or adequate. It describes something that is judged to be within sensible bounds rather than excessive. The term is commonly applied to prices, costs, conduct, expectations, and decisions, and it can modify nouns such as hinta (price), palkka (salary), or menettely (conduct).

Grammatical notes: kohtuullinen belongs to the -inen class of adjectives and declines like other adjectives in Finnish. The elative singular form is kohtuullisesta; other common forms include kohtuullisen (genitive) and kohtuullista (partitive). The elative ending -sta/-stä is used to indicate motion from or reference to a topic, as in keskustelimme kohtuullisesta hinnasta (“we discussed a reasonable price”).

Usage and nuance: kohtuullinen carries the sense of moderation without being vague or negative. It can describe tangible things such as prices and wages, as well as more abstract notions like expectations or penalties. In context, it often implies fairness or sufficiency rather than excess.

Examples:

- Hinta on kohtuullinen. (The price is reasonable.)

- Keskustelimme kohtuullisesta hinnasta. (We discussed a reasonable price.)

- Tämä menettely on kohtuullinen. (This procedure is fair/moderate.)

Etymology and translations: kohtuullinen derives from kohtu, meaning measure or moderation, with the suffix -ellinen forming an adjective. In English, kohtuullinen corresponds to reasonable, fair, moderate, or adequate, depending on context. The related adverb kohtuullisesti means reasonably or moderately.