ensisijaiset

ENSESIJAISET is a Finnish adjective in its plural form, meaning primary or of first priority. It is used to describe multiple items or concepts that are considered most important or prioritized within a set, list, or plan. Common contexts include planning, management, education, and data handling, where ensisijaiset phrases denote tasks, objectives, or resources that should be addressed before others (for example, ensisijaiset tehtävät or ensisijaiset tavoitteet).

In usage, ensisijaiset typically modifies nouns in plural form and agrees in number with the noun it describes. It can appear in official documents, project plans, and policy texts to signal prioritization. The word often appears alongside its antonym toissijaiset, which refers to secondary or subordinate items. The corresponding adverbial form is ensisijaisesti, meaning primarily or mainly.

Etymology and related terms: ensisijaiset derives from ensisijainen, itself meaning primary or first in importance. Related linguistic forms include ensisijaisuus (the quality or state of being primary) and ensisijaisesti (primarily). In contrast, toissijaiset (secondary) and toissijaisesti (secondarily) express the opposite hierarchy.

See also and related concepts: ensisijaisuus, ensisijaisesti, toissijainen, toissijaisesti. In Finnish discourse, ensisijaiset is a standard way to communicate prioritized elements without specifying exact criteria, leaving the determination of priority to the surrounding context.