herkällä

Herkällä is a Finnish adjective in its adessive singular form (from herkkä, meaning sensitive or delicate) and is commonly used in the idiomatic expression herkkällä korvalla, meaning “with a keen ear” or “in a sensitive, perceptive manner.” The form highlights perception, responsiveness, or tact in handling delicate matters.

In usage, herkkä describes people, attitudes, or responses that are easily affected or finely attuned to subtleties. The phrase herkkällä korvalla is often used to indicate careful listening or heightened perceptiveness, for example when evaluating information, rumors, or emotional signals. A typical sentence is: Hän kuunteli haastattelua herkkällä korvalla, yrittäen erottaa luotettavat lähteet epäluuloisista.

The expression can also extend to other contexts where sensitivity or tact is important, such as handling difficult conversations or delicate topics. While the idiom emphasizes perceptiveness, it does not imply timidity; rather, it conveys attentiveness and nuanced understanding.

Related forms and notes: the base adjective is herkkä, with comparative and superlative forms kuten herkempi, herkimmät. The adessive form herkkällä is primarily used with nouns in the sentence, often denoting manner or approach. The adverbial counterpart meaning “sensitively” or “delicately” is usually expressed by other constructions, such as verb phrases or adverbs, rather than a direct one-word equivalent of herkkällä.

In summary, herkkällä mainly appears to characterize perceptive or tactful behavior, most notably in the well-known phrase herkkällä korvalla.