Tarkoituksenmukaisilla

Tarkoituksenmukaisilla is a Finnish adjective form meaning "in accordance with the purpose" or "suitable for the intended use." It is the adessive plural form of tarkoituksenmukainen, used to modify a plural noun in the adessive case, as in tarkoituksenmukaisilla keinoilla ("by means that are suitable for the purpose").

Etymology and meaning: The term is built from tarkoitus ("purpose") and mukainen ("conforming, suitable"), so the compound literally signals alignment with a goal. The adessive -lla marks "with" or "in/at." The plural form tarkoituksenmukaisilla appears when the modified noun is plural, aligning with Finnish noun-adjective agreement rules.

Usage: Common in formal Finnish writing, especially policy, law, planning, or evaluation contexts. It usually precedes a noun in the same clause, for example: tarkoituksenmukaisilla ratkaisuilla, tarkoituksenmukaisilla toimenpiteillä. The expression signals that the described means or actions meet or reflect the stated aim, rather than merely being effective or efficient.

Translation and nuance: There is no exact single-word English equivalent; it can be rendered as "in line with the purpose," "purpose-appropriate," or "conforming to the aim." It conveys normative alignment with the objective rather than just practicality, and is typically used to emphasize compliance with stated goals in formal discourse.