nykyaikaista

Nykyaikaista is the partitive singular form of the Finnish adjective nykyaikainen, meaning modern or contemporary. It is used to describe nouns in the partitive case and indicates that the described thing relates to the present era or current trends.

Etymology and form: nykyaikainen is built from nykyaika, meaning the present age or modern times, together with the suffix -inen to form an adjective. The noun nykyaika itself is formed from nyky- (current) and aika (time). The partitive form nykyaikaista is used when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case, as in nykyaikaista teknologiaa or nykyaikaista suunnittelua.

Usage and nuance: nykyaikaista is commonly used to describe objects, practices, or ideas that align with contemporary features or trends, such as digital technology, sustainability, or user-centered design. It can modify a wide range of mass or unfixed nouns (for example, nykyaikaista ruokaa) as well as countable items when in the partitive. The term conveys up-to-date or current qualities, but its exact meaning depends on context and may overlap with synonyms like moderni. It typically appears in written or formal Finnish, including descriptive prose and technical writing.

Relation to nykyaikaisuus: nykyaikaista is the adjective form, while nykyaikaisuus is the corresponding noun meaning modernity or contemporaneity. The choice between nykyaikainen/nykyaikaista and nykyaikaisuus depends on whether the writer seeks an adjective or a noun expression of the concept.