Selviytyjä

Selviytyjä is a Finnish noun meaning a person who has survived a difficult situation or period. It is formed from the verb selviytyä "to survive" with the agent suffix -jä, and its plural is selviytyjät. The term is used for people who have endured disasters, accidents, conflicts, or long-term hardships, and can also refer to competitors in survival-themed contexts. In everyday use, it often emphasizes resilience and successful navigation of danger or hardship, rather than mere endurance.

In contemporary language, selviytyjä is widely used to describe someone who has managed to come through a challenging experience. The related noun selviytyminen refers to the act of surviving or coping. The Finnish reality show Selviytyjät Suomi, the Finnish adaptation of the Survivor format, uses the plural form selviytyjät to describe the contestants, who compete to outlast others in demanding environments. A single contestant may be referred to as a selviytyjä.

The term is neutral and broadly understood across Finnish-speaking communities. It can be applied to both life-threatening events and metaphorical challenges, such as overcoming illness, economic hardship, or personal adversity. There are no special restrictions on its usage beyond standard language.