pienempiä

Pienempiä is the plural partitive form of the Finnish adjective pienempi, meaning smaller. It is used to describe several items that are smaller in size relative to another set or to indicate a subset within a larger group, especially when the noun it modifies is in the partitive case or is indefinite. In Finnish, adjectives in the comparative form with the suffix -mpi take a plural partitive ending, resulting in pienempiä in contexts where the noun is plural and in partitive.

Common uses include indicating that there are several things that are smaller than some reference. For example, pienempiä vaihtoehtoja means smaller options; pienempiä rakennuksia means smaller buildings; pienempiä ongelmia kuin aiemmin means smaller problems than before. The form emphasizes relative size rather than absolute scale.

Grammatical note: the corresponding nominative plural form is pienemmät (the smaller ones), used for definite plural references. Pienempiä is typically seen with the noun in partitive or when the reference is non-countable or indefinite. It can also function as a short nominal phrase meaning “the smaller ones” when the specific noun is understood from context, though it is most common as a modifier.

In summary, pienempiä is a utility form in Finnish grammar for expressing relative diminutiveness across multiple items in contexts where the noun is in partitive or indefinite, contributing to clear comparisons and nuanced description.