aikaisempien

Aikaisempien is the genitive plural form of the Finnish adjective aikaisempi, which means earlier or previous. In Finnish grammar, this form is used when an adjective precedes a noun that is in genitive plural, or when forming a phrase that expresses “of the earlier ones.” It is not a standalone noun or a proper noun, but a grammatical inflection that commonly appears in written Finnish.

In practice, aikaisempien appears in phrases such as aikaisempien tutkimusten mukaan (according to previous studies) or aikaisempien tapahtumien perusteella (based on the earlier events). In these examples the related nouns tutkimukset and tapahtumat are in genitive plural (tutkimusten, tapahtumien), and aikaisempien agrees with them as the genitive plural modifier. The form helps connect comparative meaning to a plural noun and is frequent in academic writing, journalism, and historical or analytical prose.

Morphology and usage notes:

- Aikaisempien is the genitive plural of aikaisempi, the comparative of aikainen.

- The construction typically precedes another plural noun in genitive, forming a so-called double-genitive phrase in Finnish.

- The genitive plural endings can vary with different adjectives, so aikaisempien is one of several possible forms used to convey “of the earlier ones.”

See also: aikaisempi (the positive/comparative base form), aikaisemmat (nominative plural), other adjectives with genitive plural endings.