luotettavat

Luotettavat is a Finnish adjective form meaning reliable or trustworthy. It is the plural nominative of luotettava, an adjective derived from the verb luottaa (to trust) with the participial suffix -ttava, yielding a sense of “worthy of trust.” In ordinary use, luotettavat describes multiple nouns and is common in media, research, and everyday language when referring to people, sources, or data that are considered dependable.

As a modifier, luotettavat agrees with the noun in number and case. Examples include luotettavat lähteet (reliable sources), luotettavat tiedot (reliable data), and luotettavat henkilöt (trustworthy individuals). In predicative position, plural adjectives also appear as luotettavat, for instance: N tiedot ovat luotettavat (The data are reliable). The word can also function in a more nominal sense to mean “the reliable ones,” though in practice this usage is less common and is often clarified with the accompanying noun or rephrased.

Usage notes and nuance: luotettava and luotettavat do not guarantee absolute truth; they imply reliability based on evidence, consistency, or corroboration. The term is frequently contrasted with epäluotettava (unreliable) and luotettavuus (reliability). Adverbs related to the concept include luotettavasti (reliably) and epäluotettavasti (unreliably).

See also: luotettavuus, epäluotettava, luottaa, luotettava lähde.