Väsyvä

Väsyvä is a Finnish adjective meaning sleepy or tired. It describes a person, animal, or situation characterized by fatigue or a wish to sleep. The word is formed from the verb väsyä, “to become tired,” with the present-participle suffix -vä, giving a stative sense of an ongoing condition.

Usage and grammar: Väsyvä can be used attributively before a noun, as in väsyvä lapsi (a sleepy child). It can also be used predicatively with the verb olla, as in lapsi on väsyvä (the child is sleepy). Like other Finnish adjectives, väsyvä agrees with the noun in number and case, so it changes form to match plural or different cases when attached to a noun.

Nuances and comparison: Väsyvä commonly conveys a temporary or momentary fatigue or sleepiness. For stronger tiredness, Finnish speakers might use väsynyt (tired) or uupunut (exhausted). Väsyvä is relatively neutral and everyday in tone, suitable for informal speech and descriptive writing.

Related forms and terms: The verb väsyä (to become tired) is the basic source. Nouns such as väsymys (fatigue) and adjectives like väsyneenä or väsyneempi reflect related meanings and variations in mood and degree of tiredness. Antonyms include virkeä (alert, fresh) and energinen (energetic).

See also: Väsymys; väsyminen; väsytys.