epäformaalisten

Epäformaalisten is the genitive plural form of the Finnish adjective epäformaalinen, meaning informal or non-formal. In Finnish, adjectives agree with the noun they describe in number and case. Therefore, epäformaalisten occurs when the head noun is plural and in the genitive case, typically in phrases that denote “the informal …” something.

It is used to describe groups, events, practices, or attitudes that lack formal structure. Because it is in genitive plural, it modifies another noun that is itself in genitive plural or used in a possessive construction. Examples include: “epäformaalisten ryhmien jäsenet kokoontuivat” (the members of informal groups gathered); “epäformalaisten tilaisuuksien järjestäminen on yleistä” (the organization of informal events is common). The phrase cannot stand alone as a noun; the head noun must be supplied.

Translation and nuance: epäformaalisten corresponds to “informal” in English when used in a genitive construction that describes a noun. It is common in written Finnish when discussing categories, practices, or contexts characterized by informality. The term is part of standard Finnish grammar for describing how formality levels apply to groups, events, or settings, and it contrasts with muodollinen, the term for formal.