Tahalliseen

Tahalliseen is the illative singular form of the Finnish adjective tahallinen, meaning deliberate or intentional. It is used with nouns in the illative case to indicate that an action or outcome is directed toward, or performed with, intention. For example, tahalliseen tekoon means to an intentional act, and tahalliseen tarkoitukseen means for an intentional purpose. The base adjective tahallinen describes conduct done with will or awareness, as opposed to accidental or negligent.

In Finnish grammar, adjectives decline to match case and number, and the illative form of an -inen adjective such as tahallinen becomes tahalliseen. This form is common in formal or legal language to specify the element of intentionality in actions, plans, or consequences. The phrase tahalliseen tekoon is frequently encountered in statutes, court decisions, and analytical writing when distinguishing deliberate acts from inadvertent ones.

Tahalliseen is often contrasted with ta not? or vahingonteon contexts; the concept sits alongside tahallisuus (the quality or state of being intentional) and with tahallisesti (the adverb meaning intentionally). The distinction between tahallinen and accidental actions is central in law, ethics, and criminology, where intentionality affects liability, severity of penalties, and assessments of responsibility.

Examples:

- Laki kieltää tahallisen rikkomisen.

- Hän myönsi syyllistyneensä tahalliseen tekoon.

- Rikoksen vakavuus riippuu siitä, onko teko tahallinen vai vahingon-t tapahtunut.

See also: tahallinen, tahallisuus, tahallisesti, illatiivi (Finnish grammar).