läheinen

Läheinen is a Finnish adjective meaning near or close. It is used for physical proximity, such as objects or places that are nearby, as well as for temporal proximity (something that will happen soon) and for figurative closeness in personal relationships. In relation to people, läheinen describes someone with whom one has a strong personal or emotional connection, for example a close friend, partner, or family member.

Etymologically, lähellinen is formed from the root lähe- meaning near, with the typical Finnish -inen suffix that creates adjectives. The word is related to other near-related forms such as lähellä (near/by) and läheisyys (closeness). In everyday speech, läheinen can also function in a noun-like sense to refer to a close person, though more common expressions include läheiset or phrases like läheinen suhde.

In usage, läheinen communicates nuance beyond mere distance. For example, säger että kaksi tapahtumaa ovat hyvin lähellä toisiaan in time, or a person is described as a läheinen ystävä to indicate a strong personal bond. The word inflects like other -inen adjectives in Finnish, changing forms to reflect case and number (for instance, läheisen in the genitive and läheistä in the partitive). It is distinct from words that denote generic proximity without relational nuance, such as lähellä or lähin in different grammatical contexts.

See also: lähellä, läheisyys, läheiset, läheinen suhde.