Lyhyt

Lyhyt is a Finnish adjective meaning "short" or "brief." It describes things in terms of physical length, duration, or conciseness, and it is commonly used before the noun it modifies, as in lyhyt matka (a short trip) or lyhyt teksti (a short text). It can also refer to brief periods or summaries when describing time or expression.

In Finnish, lyhyt forms a degree system with comparative and superlative forms: lyhyempi for the comparative and lyhyin for the superlative (the shortest). For example, Tämä reissu on lyhyempi kuin edellinen. Maailman lyhyin silta is a typical phrase meaning “the world’s shortest bridge.” The adverbial form is lyhyesti, used to mean “briefly,” as in Selitä lyhyesti. Related derivatives include lyhytaikainen (short-term), lyhytaika (short time), and lyhyesti (briefly).

Etymology-wise, lyhyt is a native Finnish word with cognates in other Finnic languages, such as Estonian lühike, reflecting a shared Proto-Finnic heritage. The word is a core part of everyday Finnish and appears in a broad range of contexts, from everyday descriptions to more formal or literary language.

See also: Finnish language, Finnish grammar, adjectives in Finnish.