Tehokkaina

Tehokkaina is a Finnish grammatical form of the adjective tehokas, used to describe a state or role in a predicative construction. It is the essive plural form, conveying a temporary or situational aspect, roughly translating to “as efficient ones” in English. It contrasts with the singular essive form tehokkaana (as an efficient one) and with the nominative plural tehokkaat (efficient ones).

In Finnish, adjectives agree with the nouns they modify in number and case. The essive case, marked by the ending -na/-nä in singular and -kaina in plural, expresses a temporary condition or role. Tehokkaina is thus formed for plural subjects when a copula such as olla is present in the sentence.

Usage tends to appear in formal, evaluative, or technical writing, such as reports, assessments, or descriptions of groups and processes. It is less common in everyday speech, where the singular form or other constructions may be preferred for fluidity.

Examples:

- Koneet toimivat tehokkaina. (The machines operated efficiently.)

- Ratkaisut olivat tehokkaina. (The solutions were efficient/effective.)

- Henkilöstö ja tuotantoprosessit olivat tehokkaina. (The personnel and production processes were efficient.)

See also:

- Finnish grammar

- Essive case

- Adjectives in Finnish