Puutteissa

Puutteissa is a Finnish noun form used to describe a state in which resources, services, or conditions are insufficient. It derives from puute, meaning lack or deficiency. The expression is commonly used in discussions of politics, economics, and public administration to denote systemic shortages rather than isolated gaps.

Grammatical note: Puutteissa is the inessive plural form of the noun puute. The singular inessive is puutteessa, while the plural nominative is puutteet. It is formed by attaching the inessive suffix -ssa to the plural stem. This construction is used when describing a situation that affects multiple components or areas.

Usage and nuance: The term emphasizes ongoing insufficiency across more than one element. It is often used when describing systemic problems in public services, funding, infrastructure, or supply chains. It can appear in policy papers, news reports, and political discourse to highlight the need for reform or additional resources. The wording tends to carry a critical tone, signaling that current conditions are not adequate to meet needs.

Esimerkkejä: 'Koulutuksen rahoitus on puutteissa.' 'Sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon resurssit ovat puutteissa.'

Related terms: puute (lack/deficiency) and puutteet (shortages). Variants such as puutteellisuus or puuttuminen may be used in related contexts to discuss incomplete or missing elements.