kilpailijalle

Kilpailijalle is the allative singular form of the Finnish noun kilpailija, meaning “to the competitor” or “for the competitor.” It is a grammatical case form rather than a separate word, used to indicate direction toward or a beneficiary in a sentence.

In Finnish, the allative case uses the suffix -lle. Kilpailijalle marks the recipient or target of an action, such as who receives something or for whom something is intended. The corresponding plural form is kilpailijoille, used when referring to multiple competitors.

Etymology and related forms: Kilpailija comes from the verb kilpailla (to compete) plus the agent-noun suffix -ija. The allative form kilpailijalle and its plural kilpailijoille are common in contexts involving prizes, instructions, or arrangements related to competitors in sports, contests, and other competitive settings.

Usage examples:

- Palkinto annettiin kilpailijalle. (The prize was awarded to the competitor.)

- Palkinnot jaetaan kilpailijoille. (The prizes are distributed to the competitors.)

Kilpailijalle function is primarily pragmatic: it signals the entity receiving or benefiting from an action, rather than modifying the meaning of kilpailija itself. It is widely used in written and spoken Finnish across sports, events, and organizational contexts.