Kykyisten

Kykyisten is the genitive plural form of the Finnish adjective kykyinen, meaning capable, competent or able. It is used in noun phrases to denote “of the capable ones” or “the capable people” and is not typically a stand-alone noun.

Grammatically, kykyisten appears when kykyinen modifies a noun in the genitive plural. Other forms of the same adjective include kykyiset (nominative plural), kykyisen (genitive singular) and kykyisiä (partitive plural). The form kykyisten therefore functions as a possessive-style marker within a noun phrase.

Usage is common in formal or academic language, policy discourse or demographic descriptions. Examples include kykyisten keskuudessa (among the capable) or kykyisten ryhmä (a group of the capable), where the genitive form links to the head noun. The construction allows speakers to specify a subset of people by ability without naming individuals.

Etymology: kykyinen derives from kyky, meaning ability, with the -inen suffix forming adjectives. The genitive plural kykyisten literally marks possession or association, meaning “of the capable [ones].” This pattern mirrors Finnish adjective inflection, where genitive forms indicate the relationship between the described group and a head noun in the sentence.