pätevä

Pätevä is a Finnish adjective meaning competent, capable, or properly qualified to perform a task. It describes people, groups, or organizations that have the necessary knowledge, skills, and authority for a specific function. In professional and formal contexts, pätevä often implies that the subject meets established requirements such as education, training, or licensure.

The noun pätevyys denotes competence or qualification, and related terms form from the same root. The adjective declines like other Finnish adjectives, with comparative form pätevämpi and superlative form pätevin (colloquially pätevimmän, depending on case). Common collocations include pätevä ammattilainen (a competent professional) and pätevä viranomainen (a competent/authorized authority). In legal and administrative language, phrases such as pätevyysvaatimukset (qualification requirements) and pätevyystodistus (certificate of competence) are standard.

Usage and nuance: pätevä conveys a sense of recognized ability and adherence to standards, but it is slightly more formal or official than synonyms like osaava (skilled) or kykenevä (able). It is widely used in education, employment, and public administration to evaluate whether someone or something meets the expected level of competence.