pääASIAa

Pääasiaa is the partitive singular form of the Finnish noun pääasia, meaning the main point or essential matter in a discussion or situation. The term refers to the most important aspect one should consider or address.

Etymology: Pääasia is formed from pää (main, chief) and asia (thing, matter). The compound literally means "the main matter." The form pääasiaa is the partitive singular, used in contexts that require a partitive or with verbs that take a partitive object.

Usage: The term is common in both spoken and written Finnish. It denotes the central point in arguments, plans, or explanations. In everyday speech it is often used with the copula, as in "Pääasia on..." to introduce the key point, or with verbs such as "korostaa" (to emphasize) or "tunnistaa" (to identify) to signal focus on the essential point.

Nuances and synonyms: Pääasiaa emphasizes central importance within a given context and can be slightly more concrete than broader terms like ydin or olennaisuus. Synonyms include ydin, keskeinen seikka, olennainen asia, and pääpointti. The choice among these words can reflect nuance: ydin highlights the core essence, while pääasiaa or pääasia may foreground the immediate concern in a discussion.

See also: Finnish grammar, partitive case, pääasia, ydin, keskeinen seikka.