pääsyyn

Pääsyyn is a Finnish linguistic form that appears mainly in fixed phrases related to causation. The most common expression in which it occurs is pääsyynä, which translates roughly to “as the main reason” or “the primary cause.” In such use, pääsyynä is employed to introduce or explain the reason behind a statement or event, often in a formal or written register. For example: Pääsyynä oli ilmastonmuutos. The main reason was climate change.

The concept behind pääsyyn can be traced to the compound word pääsyy, formed from pää (main, principal) and syy (reason). This compound yields the idea of a central or primary reason, and the related form pääsyynä is used to express “as the main reason.” Finnish typically marks such expressions with a specific suffixal pattern that signals a role or function in the clause, rather than a simple subject-predicate structure.

Usage notes:

- Pääsyynä is most natural in explanations, analyses, or reports where causes are discussed.

- It can be complemented by other elements in the sentence to specify the context of the reason (for example, referencing events, conditions, or factors leading to an outcome).

- The related noun pääsy means access or entry, while syy means reason; together they form the concept of a main reason, from which the translative-like form pääsyynä derives.

See also:

- Pääsy (access)

- Syy (reason)

- Pääsyy (main reason)

This entry provides a concise overview of the primary usage and etymology of pääsyyn, with emphasis on its role in indicating causation in Finnish prose.