Pääsyynä

Pääsyynä is a Finnish noun meaning the main reason or primary cause behind a situation or event. It is used to indicate the decisive factor among others, often in analytical, journalistic, or formal writing.

Etymology and form: the term combines pää (main) and syy (reason) into a compound that expresses “the main reason.” The essive-case suffix -nä is added to signify “as the main reason,” yielding the form pääsyynä. In standard usage it is written as one word.

Usage: pääsyynä is commonly employed with verbs such as olla (to be) or with passive constructions, for example: Se oli pääsyynä päätökseen, or Pääsyynä olivat useat tekijät. It emphasizes a single, decisive factor, though writers may acknowledge multiple contributing factors by extending the phrasing (for example, “pääasiallisena syynä” or “yksi pääsyistä”).

Common alternatives and nuances: synonyms include päätekijä (principal factor), tärkein syy (the most important reason), or johtava syy (leading cause). These can shift nuance: pääsyynä highlights the central factor; other terms may broaden the scope to include several significant causes.

Examples:

- Yrityksen konkurssin pääsyynä nähtiin korkea velka ja heikko kysyntä.

- Pääsyynä erottamiseen oli toistuva laiminlyönti.

In translation terms, pääsyynä corresponds to “the main reason” or “the primary cause.” When discussing multiple causes, speakers often rephrase to indicate the principal factor while acknowledging others.