laillisesti

Laillisesti is a Finnish adverb meaning legally or lawfully. It is derived from the adjective laillinen (legal, legitimate) with the adverbial suffix -sti, and is used to indicate that an action, status or object complies with the law or is performed in accordance with legal requirements.

Etymology and form: The root laill- comes from laillinen, which in turn is connected to law (laki). The suffix -sti forms the adverb laillisesti, which can modify verbs and predicates to express legality or proper procedure.

Usage: Laillisesti is common in legal, administrative and business language, as well as in formal reporting. It is used with verbs such as allekirjoittaa (to sign), hankkia (to acquire), hoitaa (to handle) or rekisteröidä (to register), to denote that the action was done in compliance with the law. Examples include: "Dokumentit on laillisesti allekirjoitettu," "Hankinta tehtiin laillisesti ja verot on maksettu," and "Omistusoikeus on laillisesti rekisteröity." In some contexts, Finnish speakers may prefer phrases like lain mukaan (according to the law) to emphasize statutory requirements; laillisesti focuses more on the legality of the action itself.

Nuances: Laillisesti conveys legitimacy and conformity with legal norms, but it is not always interchangeable with phrases meaning “according to the law.” Depending on context, "lain mukaan" or "lainsäädännön mukaan" may be preferred to avoid ambiguity about procedure or regulatory status.

See also: laillinen, laki, lainsäädäntö.