huonosti

Huonosti is a Finnish adverb meaning “badly” or “not well.” It describes how an action is performed or the state of someone’s health. The word can modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs, but not nouns directly. It is formed from the adjective huono (“bad, poor”) with the adverbial suffix -sti, following a productive pattern in Finnish for turning adjectives into adverbs.

Common examples illustrate its use: Hän teki työn huonosti. (He did the work badly.) Ruoka maistui huonosti. (The food tasted bad.) Hän puhui huonosti. (He spoke poorly.) Hän voi huonosti. (He feels unwell.)

Usage notes include that huonosti is neutral and widely appropriate in both formal and everyday language. In health contexts it often contrasts with hyvin (“well”). In some nuanced situations, speakers may opt for phrases such as epätarkasti or huonolla tavalla to convey more specific shades of meaning, but huonosti remains the standard, general-purpose adverb for poor performance or ill health.

Origin-wise, huonosti exemplifies Finnish adverb formation by adding -sti to the base adjective huono, a pattern seen across many adjectives in Finnish to express manner or degree. Its versatility makes it a common part of everyday Finnish, appearing in writing, media, and spoken conversation alike.