haarukkaa

Haarukkaa is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun haarukka, which denotes a fork, a dining utensil. A fork consists of a handle and several elongated tines used to spear or lift food. In ordinary dining, forks commonly have two to four tines; the exact design varies by purpose. The tines are used to spear and lift food and to hold it in place while cutting.

Common variants include the table fork (two to four tines), the dinner fork, the salad fork (usually four short tines), the dessert fork (smaller), the fish fork (broader, sometimes with a curved or narrower tip), and the carving fork (two long tines used to hold meat while carving). Forks may be made of stainless steel, silver, or plated metals, with handles of metal, wood, or plastic. They are typically washed after use; stainless steel forks are often dishwasher safe, while more delicate finishes may require hand washing.

In Finnish usage, haarukkaa appears as the partitive/genitive form of haarukka, the word for this utensil, for example in phrases like "ota haarukkaa." The concept of the fork originated long ago and spread through Europe, becoming a standard eating utensil in modern kitchens.