hengeltään

Hengeltään is a Finnish adverb used to describe a person’s inner qualities, such as temperament, attitude, or moral disposition, rather than physical or external attributes. It can be translated as “in spirit,” “in character,” or “temperament-wise.” The expression typically accompanies an adjective that characterizes the subject’s personality.

Etymology and usage notes: hengeltään is formed from henki (spirit) with the adessive suffix -ltä, yielding a sense of “as to spirit.” It is often used to contrast or complement other descriptions, for example by pairing it with an attribute that denotes outward behavior or ability. It is closely related to luonteeltaan, which also means “in terms of temperament,” but hengeltään can carry a slightly stronger emphasis on inner disposition or attitude.

Examples: Hän on ahkeraa, mutta hengeltään ujo. (He is diligent, but in terms of spirit/character he is shy.) Yrityksen johtajalla on käytännön ote ja hengeltään optimistinen ilmapiiri. (The company leader has a practical approach and an optimistic, spirit-wise outlook.) These phrases illustrate how hengeltään adds nuance about a person’s character beyond observable actions.

Usage considerations: Hengeltään is common in both spoken and written Finnish and is most natural when discussing personality traits, ethical stance, or motivational tendencies. In formal writing, it may be used alongside or interchangeably with luonteeltaan, depending on the desired nuance.

See also: luonteeltaan; henkinen; hengellinen.