Suotavaa

Suotavaa is a Finnish predicative form of the adjective suotava, meaning that something is desirable or advisable. It is used to express normative guidance rather than a factual assertion, often in formal or advisory contexts.

In everyday Finnish, suotavaa commonly appears in impersonal clauses such as "On suotavaa noudattaa ohjeita," which translates to "It is advisable to follow the instructions." The phrase can also begin sentences with "On suotavaa..." or appear as "Se on suotavaa," meaning "That is desirable/advisable." The tone of suotavaa is evaluative and somewhat formal, appropriate for guidelines, recommendations, and policy language.

Grammatically, suotavaa is the neuter singular form that accompanies verbs or infinitives and does not inflect for person. It expresses a normative judgment about an action or situation. While it is perfectly standard Finnish, its use tends toward official or bureaucratic registers; everyday speech often opts for more common expressions like "hyvä idea" or "on hyvä noudattaa," depending on the context.

Origin and related terms: the word originates from the adjective suotava, with the predicative suffix -va. Related terms include suoda (to grant, to provide) and suositus (recommendation), which appear in related but distinct grammatical or semantic fields.

See also: suoda; suotava (adjective); suositus.