Toimeentulona

Toimeentulona is a Finnish term meaning “as a livelihood” or “as one’s means of living.” It is formed from the noun toimeentulo, which refers to the income or resources by which a person supports themselves. The concept encompasses regular earnings and support from work, self-employment, pensions, social benefits, and other sources that provide financial sustenance.

In practice, toimeentulona is used primarily in formal or policy-related contexts to describe what serves as a person’s livelihood. For example, legal or social welfare texts may specify which income sources are considered part of an individual’s toimeentulo. In everyday language, people more commonly talk about toimeentulo or use phrases such as “hän ansaitsee toimeentulonsa,” meaning “they earn their livelihood.”

Etymologically, the form toimeentulona is the translative case of toimeentulo, indicating a role or function—something that is taken as, or becomes, one’s livelihood. This usage helps define contexts where something is treated as the basis for a person’s economic well-being rather than merely describing a source of income.

Overall, toimeentulona functions as a linguistic tool to specify that a particular income source or arrangement serves as the means by which someone sustains themselves, within both everyday speech and formal discourse.