Tyhmä

Tyhmä is a Finnish adjective meaning "stupid" or "foolish," and it can also function as a noun meaning "a stupid person." It describes people, actions, or ideas that are regarded as lacking sense or reason. The term is common in everyday speech and informal writing but is pejorative and may offend, especially in directed address; in formal contexts, milder expressions such as hölmö or tyhmän idean to less harsh wording are often preferred.

Etymology and sense development are linked to the Finnish word tyhjä, meaning "empty," conveying the sense of an empty-headed or void of sense. The exact historical development is not uniformly documented, but the association with emptiness and lack of sense is widespread in contemporary usage.

In Finnish grammar, tyhmä behaves as a typical adjective and agrees with the noun it describes in number and case. Examples: tyhmä idea (a stupid idea), tyhmän miehen (of the stupid man). The word also has a comparative form, tyhmempi (more stupid), and a superlative form, tyhmimpi (stupidest), though these forms are used primarily in casual speech and can sound blunt.

Tyhmä can also appear in emotional or emphatic contexts, and its strength can be moderated by tone, context, or accompanying words. It is not a clinical or diagnostic term; using it to label someone’s intelligence can be insulting and should be avoided in professional or respectful discourse.

See also: hölmö, pöhkö, älykäs (for contrast), tyhmyys (n. stupidity).