kiire

Kiire is a Finnish noun meaning hurry, rush, or urgency. It describes a state of needing to move quickly or to cope with time pressure, as well as the bustle that can accompany a busy situation. In everyday speech it is common to say “minulla on kiire” to express that one is in a hurry.

The related adjective is kiireinen, used to describe someone who is busy or a situation that is urgent. The adverbial form is generally kiireisesti (or, in common speech, kiireesti), used to describe performing an action quickly or with urgency. The word has cognates in other Finnic languages, most notably Estonian kiire, which carries a similar meaning.

Usage and nuance: Kiire is a flexible term covering personal urgency, organizational time pressure, and the pace of everyday life. It is frequently invoked in discussions about time management, work-life balance, and social expectations around speed and efficiency in contemporary Finnish culture. Expressions such as täysi kiire (full hurry) or kiireessä (in a hurry) are common in spoken Finnish.

See also: time management, work-life balance, burnout, speed.

Notes: As a core concept in Finnish, kiire appears in both practical everyday language and broader sociocultural discussions about pace of life. It is distinct from related terms for speed or velocity, which refer to physical motion rather than the subjective state of needing to move quickly.