Tehokas

Tehokas is a Finnish adjective meaning effective or efficient. It describes something that produces the desired result with a reasonable amount of time, effort, or resources. In everyday language it can refer to devices, methods, medicines, or strategies that work well or yield strong results. The nuance can range from practical efficiency (saving time or energy) to clinical or practical effectiveness (achieving the intended outcome, such as a treatment being effective).

Etymology and nuance: The word comes from teho, meaning power or effect, with the suffix -kas forming an adjective that denotes having that quality. This broad sense allows letzte to describe both mechanical performance and outcomes in various fields.

Usage: In technology and industry, one speaks of tehokas kone (a powerful/efficient machine). In healthcare, tehokas hoito or tehokas lääke indicates high efficacy. In business, tehokas markkinointi describes results-driven marketing. While common in promotional language, the strength of the term depends on context and supporting evidence.

Grammar: Tehokas is the positive form; comparative is tehokkaampi and the superlative is tehokkain. Like other Finnish adjectives, it inflects for case and number in phrases such as tehokkaan, tehokkaan, tehokkaat, and so on.

See also: Finnish adjectives, efficiency, efficacy.

References: Finnish dictionaries such as Kielitoimiston sanakirja and resources from Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus provide definitions and usage notes.