kuulija

Kuulija is a Finnish noun meaning a person who listens. It is formed from the verb kuulla "to hear" plus the agent suffix -ija, which yields "the listener" or "the one who listens." The term can refer to a single listener or, in the plural kuulijat, to an audience or group of listeners. In practice, the word emphasizes the listener's role within a communicative situation rather than the act of listening itself.

Usage: In education, lectures, broadcasts, and performances, kuulija describes the recipient of the message. In everyday language, speakers often use yleisö to refer to the audience more generally; kuulija focuses on individual listeners or the audience as a listening group. The related compound kuulijakunta denotes a larger, defined body of listeners.

Grammar: As a typical -ija noun, kuulija follows standard Finnish inflection; singular nominative is kuulija, plural is kuulijat; genitive is kuulijan; etc. Common case forms include kuulijalle (to the listener) and kuulijassa (in the listener).

See also: yleisö, kuulijakunta, kuuntelu.