Tõhusam

Tõhusam is the comparative form of the Estonian adjective tõhus, meaning more efficient or more effective. It is used to compare two or more things in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, or successful achievement of a goal.

In usage, tõhusam typically modifies a noun or appears in a predicate: “See lahendus on tõhusam kui eelmine” (This solution is more efficient than the previous one). “Tõhusam tööprotsess” refers to a more efficient process, often implying better use of time, money, or materials. The nuance can shift slightly toward resource efficiency or overall effectiveness, depending on context. For precise distinctions, many speakers distinguish tõhus (effective in results and resource use) from efektiivne (effective in achieving a goal).

Grammar and related forms: the comparative is formed by adding the suffix -am to the adjective (tõhus → tõhusam). The superlative form is tõhusaim (the most efficient). The noun related to the concept is tõhusus (efficiency). Adverbial forms include tõhusalt (efficiently) and, in comparative contexts, tõhusamalt (more efficiently).

Contexts and notes: tõhusam is common in business, technology, public administration, education, and everyday speech when evaluating processes, products, or methods. It often appears alongside synonyms like efektiivne, which emphasizes outcome effectiveness, while tõhus emphasizes resource-efficient performance.