Piisavalt

Piisavalt is a Finnish adverb meaning “to a sufficient degree; adequately; sufficiently.” It indicates that something meets a required or acceptable level without exceeding it. The term is often understood as marking adequacy rather than excess or deficiency and is commonly found in formal or written Finnish, including administrative, legal, and academic contexts. In everyday speech, it may be less frequent and somewhat more formal.

Etymology and form: Piisavalt is formed from the adjective piisava, meaning "sufficient," combined with an adverbial suffix. The construction is part of Finnish morphology that yields adverbs describing the degree or extent of an action or state. The word is recognized as standard Finnish and pairs with nouns and verbs to express adequacy.

Usage and nuances: Piisavalt is typically used to describe sufficiency in relation to time, resources, or performance, signaling that the level is adequate but not excessive. It can contrast with expressions such as liiallisesti or riittämättömästi, which denote excess or inadequacy. In many contexts, piisavalt can be replaced by riittävästi (sufficiently) without a dramatic change in meaning, though piisavalt can carry a slightly more emphatic nuance of meeting a required minimum.

Translations and related terms: In English, piisavalt corresponds to “sufficiently” or “adequately.” Related Finnish terms include piisava (adjective, sufficient), riittävästi (sufficiently), and riittävä (adequate). See also Finnish adverbs formed from adjectives with similar degree-marking suffixes.