Kuulostava

Kuulostava is a Finnish adjective and present participle derived from the verb kuulostaa, meaning to sound or to seem. Formed with the suffix -va, it conveys the idea of “having a sound” or “impressive-sounding.” The term can be used for both literal auditory qualities and figurative impressions, making it a versatile descriptive word in Finnish.

In its literal sense, kuulostava describes sounds that are noticeable, resonant, or distinctive. For example, a kuulostava melu refers to a prominent noise, while kuulostava laulu conveys a sonorous or appealing song. In a figurative sense, the word describes rhetoric, performances, or statements that leave a strong impression through delivery or wording, such as kuulostava puhe (an impressive, persuasive speech) or kuulostava väite (a claim that sounds plausible).

The sense of kuulostava is evaluative and highly context-dependent, and it can carry positive, neutral, or negative nuance depending on how the speaker uses it. The word is commonly found in both spoken and written Finnish, including journalism, literary criticism, and everyday conversation.

Related forms include the verb kuulostaa, which governs various constructions to express how something seems or sounds, and various adjective forms derived from it in different degrees (for example, kuulostavampi for “more impressive-sounding”). Overall, kuulostava centers on how sound or presentation creates an impression, rather than an objective measure of quality.