etusijalle

Etusijalle is a Finnish expression used to express giving priority or placing something in the foreground. It denotes that a person, issue, or task is treated as more important than others in a given context.

Usage and context

The phrase is common in public administration, policy discussions, budgeting, healthcare, education, and media, where decisions are described as prioritizing certain needs or actions. It can refer to prioritizing resources, attention, or decision-making. In everyday language it is often used with verbs such as asettaa or laittaa, meaning to place or set something as a priority, or with keywords like antaa etusijaa, to give priority to.

Grammatical notes

Etusijalle is typically used with the verb that signals prioritization, for example asettaa etusijalle or antaa etusijalle. The form conveys direction toward priority and is treated as a fixed collocation in many contexts. It is not a standalone noun but part of a verbal construction that specifies what is being prioritized.

Examples

In Finnish: Tämän vuoden talousarviossa koulutus asetettiin etusijalle. Translation: In this year’s budget, education was prioritized. Helsinki päättäjät asettivat ympäristönsuojelun etusijalle. Translation: The decision-makers placed environmental protection as a priority. Henkilö x haluaa asettaa perheensä terveyden etusijalle. Translation: Person x wants to make their family’s health a priority.

See also

Priority, prioritization (prioriteetti, prioritointi in Finnish) as concept and practice in planning and decision-making.