Suuntaaantavan

Suuntaaantavan is an adjective in Finnish that means roughly indicative, approximate, or ballpark. It is used to describe numbers, forecasts, or estimates that should be treated as rough guidelines rather than exact figures. The term commonly modifies nouns such as arvio (estimate), hinta (price), kustannus (cost), or aikataulu (schedule).

Suuntaaantava is formed from suunta (direction, outline) and antava (giving). The compound conveys that the information provides a rough direction or outline rather than a precise result. The form suuntaaantavan is the genitive singular, used when the adjective modifies a noun in that case, for example: suuntaaantavan arvion mukaan.

In practice, suuntaaantava is frequent in budgeting, planning, and reporting to signal uncertainty or that figures are estimates. Example usages include: "Suuntaaantavan arvion mukaan kustannukset ovat noin 1,5 miljoonaa euroa," or "suuntaaantava hinta-arvio." The expression helps communicate planning assumptions without presenting a binding or final figure.

Suuntaaantavan is often preferred in formal or professional settings for conveying approximate values, and it exists alongside synonymous phrases such as karkeasti arvioitu. However, it may carry a slightly more formal nuance when used in official documents and proposals.