Todellinen

Todellinen is a Finnish adjective meaning real, genuine, true, actual, or sincere. It is used to describe something that corresponds to fact or reality, or that is authentic rather than imagined or feigned.

Etymology: The word derives from a root related to truth, connected with the noun totuus (truth) and the suffix -ellinen, which forms adjectives indicating a quality or relation. Thus todellinen conveys authenticity or factual actuality.

Usage: It often contrasts with appearances or speculation. Examples: todellinen hinta (the real price); todellinen tarina (a true story); todellinen henkilö (a genuine person); todelliset olosuhteet (the real circumstances). In rhetoric it can also express sincerity, as in todellinen kiitollisuus (genuine gratitude). It is not identical to aito or oikea, though related; todellinen emphasizes factual truth or authenticity rather than mere correctness or appearance.

Grammar: Finnish adjectives decline to agree with the noun in number and case, so todellinen ystävä becomes todelliset ystävät in plural and changes with cases. The comparative form is todellisempi and the superlative todellisin. A related noun is todellisuus (reality) and a common synonym is totuudenmukainen (truthful).

Today, todellinen appears frequently in Finnish media and everyday speech to stress authenticity and factual truth, as in descriptions of real-life events, authentic objects, or sincere sentiments.