minimoitään

Minimoitään is a Finnish word that translates to "at least" or "at minimum" in English. It is a common adverb used to express a lower bound or a minimum requirement. The word is formed by combining "minimi" (minimum) with the suffix "-ään," which can indicate a locative or temporal sense, effectively meaning "at the minimum place" or "at the minimum time," but in practice, it functions as a general adverb of degree.

When used in a sentence, minimoitään indicates that the quantity, quality, or condition being described meets a certain lower limit, and possibly exceeds it. For example, "Tarvitset minimoitään kymmenen euroa" translates to "You need at least ten euros." This implies that ten euros is the smallest amount acceptable, and more might be needed or acceptable. Similarly, "Pelin pitäisi kestää minimoitään tunnin" means "The game should last at least an hour," suggesting that an hour is the shortest expected duration.

The word is versatile and can be applied to various contexts, including numerical values, time, effort, or any measurable quantity. It is a fundamental part of everyday Finnish vocabulary, facilitating precise communication about minimum expectations or requirements. The opposite of minimoitään in some contexts might be "enintään" (at most).