Oikeaaikaista

Oikeaaikaista is a Finnish adjective used to describe something that happens at the right or appropriate time. It is formed from oikea (right/correct) and aika (time) with the suffix -inen, and the form oikeaaikaista is the partitive singular typically used before a noun in phrases like oikeaaikaista tietoa.

Usage and nuance

The term is commonly found in contexts where timing is important, such as information, data, decisions, and responses. It conveys that the subject is provided or acted upon at a moment that is suitable or necessary, rather than merely being current or up to date. It is distinct from ajantasainen (up-to-date, current) and ajankohtainen (timely in relation to current events); oikeaaikaista emphasizes the suitability of the timing itself.

Morphology and examples

As a derived form, oikeaaikaista appears in sentences with a mass or non-count noun in the partitive, for example: Tarvitsemme oikeaaikaista tietoa päätösten tekemiseksi. Yritys tavoittelee oikeaaikaista dataa markkinointikampanjoiden suunnitteluun. Hän reagoi oikeaaikaista reaktiota nopeasti kriisitilanteessa. These examples illustrate how timing modifies the meaning of the noun it describes.

See also

Related terms include ajantasainen (up-to-date), ajankohtainen (relevant to the present), and oikea-aikainen (on-time, delivered at the right moment). Oikeaaikaista is more commonly used in formal or professional Finnish contexts.