kohteliasta

Kohteliasta is the partitive singular form of the Finnish adjective kohtelias, meaning polite or courteous. The adjective describes behavior, manners, or conduct that shows consideration and respect in social interactions. In everyday language, kohtelias refers to being civil and respectful toward others, rather than merely following formal rules.

The word derives from the noun kohtelu, meaning treatment or conduct, with the common suffix -ias that forms adjectives. The pair kohtelias and kohteliasta is part of the same grammatical family, with kohteliasta appearing in contexts where the adjective modifies a noun in certain inflectional cases, for example in phrases involving the partitive or other dependent structures. The adverbial form is kohteliaasti.

Usage and nuance: kohtelias is used to describe people, speech, or actions that show consideration and courtesy. It is common in both spoken and written Finnish, appearing in expressions such as “kohtelias käytös” (polite conduct) or “kohtelias tervehdys” (polite greeting). The term conveys a positive social quality and is often contrasted with forms of behavior that are rude or blunt.

Related terms include kohteliaisuus (politeness) and käytös (conduct). While politeness is valued in Finnish culture, everyday communication also emphasizes directness and clarity, so kohtelias is typically balanced with practicality in appropriate contexts.