finaalia

Finaalia is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun finaali, meaning a final in the sense of the concluding match or round of a competition. It is used when the final is described as an indefinite quantity or when it functions as the object of a verb that requires the partitive case. For example: “Kaksi finaalia on vielä ohjelmassa” (There are two finals still on the schedule) and “Finaalia odotetaan jännittäen” (The final is awaited with excitement).

Origin and form: Finaali is a loanword adopted into Finnish from the Italian or French finale, adapted to Finnish phonology and spelling. Finaalia represents the standard partitive singular. Finnish nouns of this type typically have other cases and a plural form (for example, finaalit in the nominative plural), but finaalia specifically appears in the partitive singular contexts described above.

Usage and context: The term is common in sports journalism, event descriptions, and everyday speech when referring to the concluding stage of a competition, a televised finale, or an ultimate round. It coexists with related terms such as loppukilpailu, which can also denote a final competition in a broader sense depending on context.

See also: finaali; finaalit; loppukilpailu.