kilpailuja

Kilpailuja is a Finnish noun that means competitions or contests. It is used to refer to events where individuals or teams strive to outperform others, often judged by a panel or according to defined criteria.

The related verb kilpailla means to compete, and kilpailu is the noun for a single contest; kilpailuja is the plural partitive form, commonly used when speaking of multiple events in an indefinite sense, for example in phrases like monia kilpailuja järjestetään or kuinka monta kilpailuja osallistumme.

In practice, kilpailuja can describe formal competitions such as national or regional championships, school contests, music or dance competitions, science fairs, programming contests, and literary or artistic showcases.

The organization and governance of these events vary, often involving entry rules, eligibility, judging criteria, and prizes. Some competitions are structured as multi-round tournaments, others as single events with a final round.

Culturally, competitions are used to motivate skill development, public recognition, and community engagement. Finnish media regularly report on major kilpailuja, and many communities host local events to encourage participation across ages.

Notes: The word is generally lowercase in ordinary use in Finnish, while Kilpailuja capitalized as a title or in a proper noun context would refer to a specific named event or publication.