Minkälaatuiset

Minkälaatuiset is a Finnish adjective form meaning “what kind (of)” or “what sort (of)” in the plural. It is used to ask about the qualities or characteristics of multiple things or people described by a following noun, for example minkälaatuiset ihmiset or minkälaatuiset tuotteet.

In Finnish, minkälaatuiset derives from the singular minkälaatuinen, with the plural nominative ending -iset. The phrase is typically combined with a plural noun: minkälaatuiset ihmiset (what kind of people), minkälaatuiset tuotteet (what kind of products). Other case forms follow the standard Finnish adjective inflection: minkälaatuisia (partitive plural), minkälaatuisten (genitive plural), and so on. The concept is closely related to other constructions asking about type or quality, such as minkälaatuinen or minkälaiset, depending on stylistic choice and regional variation.

Common usage includes inquiries about characteristics, quality, or category. It is often found in descriptive writing, product descriptions, media commentary, and everyday speech when the speaker wants to specify multiple items’ or people’s attributes. For example, “Minkälaatuiset elokuvat tuottaa tämän studion?” or “Minkälaatuiset ihmiset asuvat tässä kaupungissa?” The translation to English is typically “What kind of …?” or “What sort of …?” with the sense of identifying the type or quality of the plural noun that follows.

Etymologically, minkälaatuiset combines minkälaatu- (“what kind of” or “of what quality”) with the plural ending -iset, forming a standard plural adjective for nouns in the nominative case.