Tarkoituksenmukaista

Tarkoituksenmukaista is a Finnish adjective form used to describe something that is appropriate for a given purpose or meeting the required objectives. It conveys that an action, solution, or choice is in line with the aims that are intended to be achieved.

Etymology and form: The term combines tarkoitus meaning “purpose” or “objective” and mukaista meaning “in accordance with” or “in keeping with.” The base adjective is tarkoituksenmukainen; the form tarkoituksenmukaista is the partitive singular, commonly used when the adjective modifies a noun in the partitive case or appears with verbs that govern the partitive. The corresponding noun form is tarkoituksenmukaisuus, referring to the quality of being suitable for the purpose.

Usage: The expression is frequently found in public administration, procurement, project planning, and quality management. It is used to evaluate whether measures, requirements, or performances align with stated goals. For example, “tarvitaan tarkoituksenmukaista rahankäyttöä” means “there is a need for money usage that is appropriate for the purpose,” and “tarkoituksenmukainen ratkaisu” refers to a solution that fits the objective.

Nuances: The term carries a normative sense, emphasizing alignment with aims and criteria rather than mere functionality. It can be contrasted with terms such as sopiva (suitable) or optimointi, depending on the precision required in a given context.

See also: tarkoituksenmukaisuus, sopivuus, tarkoitus.