Läheisiä

Läheisiä is the plural form used in Finnish to refer to people who are emotionally close or physically near to someone. The base word is lähellä, meaning near, and läheinen functions as an adjective meaning close or intimate. In everyday language, läheisiä typically denotes family members, close friends, or trusted confidants—individuals who form part of a person’s personal support network. The form läheisiä is most often the partitive plural, used with verbs or expressions describing having, needing, or relying on such people, for example “minulla on paljon läheisiä.”

The related plural noun muodossa lähetietä? No. Correction: the related plural noun is läheiset, which can refer to the group of close people, as in “Läheiset auttoivat minua” (The loved ones helped me). The term may also appear in genitive constructions, such as “läheisten tuki,” meaning support from one’s close ones. While grammatically distinct, both forms center on the idea of close personal ties.

Usage and nuance: closeness is not the same as mere proximity or acquaintance. Läheisiä implies an emotional bond, trust, and ongoing interaction. The concept appears in personal discourse as well as in social-science and policy discussions that address caregiving, crises, and well-being, where the involvement of family and friends is highlighted as a resource.

Etymology and related terms: lä hellä root “lähe-” meaning near, with the customary adjectival suffix -inen. Related concepts include lähipiiri (circle of close people), perhe (family), ystävä (friend), and tuki (support).