joillakin

Joillakin is a Finnish determiner and pronoun meaning “to some” or “some of those” and is used to refer to a subset of a larger group without naming its members. It is most commonly used with a plural noun and in statements about people or things in general. For example: “Joillakin ihmisillä on paljon vapaa-aikaa” translates as “Some people have a lot of free time.” The form emphasizes that the statement applies to part of the set, not to everyone.

Grammatical notes: Joillakin is the plural form used with a noun in predicative or descriptive clauses, often appearing in constructions that describe characteristics, conditions, or opinions about groups. It appears in sentences such as “Joillakin on vaikeuksia löytää aikaa” (“Some have difficulty finding time”). It contrasts with “jotkut” (a few, some) which tends to refer to a more definite subset, and with “joidenkin,” which means “some of them” when the subset is explicit within a defined group.

Usage remarks: The expression is common in everyday Finnish and appears in media and formal writing. It allows speakers to acknowledge variability within a group without identifying individuals.

See also: jotkut, joidenkin, jotakin.

References: Finnish grammar resources on pronouns and determiners provide discussions of this form and its nuances.