perustarvetta

Perustarvetta is the partitive form of the Finnish noun perustarve, which means a basic need or essential requirement. The term combines perus- (basic) and tarve (need) and is used to refer to the minimum resources considered necessary for a dignified standard of living. In Finnish discourse, perustarve is the broader concept, with käytetyt muotot kuten perustarvetta (partitive), perustarve (nominative), and perustarpeet (plural) appearing in different grammatical contexts.

In policy and academic discussions, perustarvetta is used to describe whether a population’s basic needs are met and to frame debates about welfare, housing, food security, health, education, clean water and sanitation, and safety. The concept helps identify priority areas for social protection, housing policies, poverty alleviation, and social inclusion efforts. It is commonly invoked in studies that compare living conditions over time or across regions, and in rights-based approaches to welfare where ensuring basic needs is seen as a societal obligation.

Linguistic notes: perustarvetta is the partitive form of perustarve. The term also appears in its singular basis as perustarve and in the plural as perustarpeet. While perustarvetta occurs regularly in formal writing, everyday speech more often uses perustarve or perustarpeet depending on the grammatical context. The concept remains central in discussions about what constitutes a minimum acceptable standard of living in Finland.

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