päämäärien

Päämäärien is the genitive plural form of the Finnish noun päämäärä, which means goal, aim or purpose. In Finnish, the genitive plural is used to indicate possession or association, as in the phrases where the aims belong to or pertain to something. The form päämäärien appears frequently in academic, administrative and planning contexts to refer to multiple aims of a person, project, program or organization.

Etymology and nuance: Päämäärä is a compound of pää (main, chief) and määrä (extent, limit, measure) and is commonly used to denote long-term or overarching goals. Päämäärien specifically marks the plural genitive, shifting the focus from the aims themselves to their relationship with another noun, for example asettaminen of the aims of a program, or evaluation of a program’s aims. In everyday language, päämäärän korostaminen may signal a broad, strategic intent, whereas words like tavoite or tarkoitus can carry more concrete or immediate connotations.

Usage and examples: In planning and reporting, phrases such as projektin päämäärien määrittäminen or ohjelman päämäärien priorisointi are common. The construction is typically part of a larger noun phrase, for instance “päämäärien asettaminen ja mittaaminen” (setting and measuring the aims). The term is often contrasted with tavoite, which tends to imply more specific, time-bound targets, while päämäärä emphasizes overarching purpose.

Related terms: päämäärä (singular), tavoitteet (goals/targets), tarkoitus (intention/purpose), keskitetty suunnittelu (strategic planning). Grammar-wise, päämäärien follows standard Finnish genitive plural formation for -ä nouns.