Suorastaan

Suorastaan is a Finnish adverb used to emphasize a statement, roughly translating to “utterly,” “downright,” or “frankly.” It strengthens adjectives and verbs to add emotional force or intensity to what is being expressed. The term is common in both spoken and written Finnish and is generally neutral to emphatic in tone, rather than humorous or ironic.

Usage of suorastaan typically precedes the word it modifies and can be applied to positive, negative, or neutral descriptors. It conveys a stronger emphasis than more everyday intensifiers like tollotan or todellakin and is often found in personal writing, journalism, and spoken language where a strong impression is intended. Examples include: “Se oli suorastaan uskomaton esitys” (That was an utterly unbelievable performance); “Olin suorastaan innoissani uutisista” (I was downright excited by the news); “Hän suorastaan raivostui” (He outright became furious).

Etymology and related terms: suorastaan functions as a standard adverb used for emphasis; precise historical derivation from the root meaning “straight” is not typically detailed in common reference works. In practice, it forms part of a broader set of Finnish intensifiers, such as todellakin or peräti, but it often carries a stronger, more vivid emotional charge and can feel more colloquial or expressive depending on context.

See also: Finnish intensifiers; Finnish language usage.