terveet

Terveet is the plural nominative form of the Finnish adjective terve, meaning healthy or in good health. It is used to describe more than one noun and typically precedes the noun in standard Finnish, as in terveet ihmiset (healthy people).

In practice, terveet can be used with various plural nouns to convey that the described subjects are in good health. Examples include terveet ihmiset (healthy people) and terveet elämäntavat (healthy lifestyle habits). The form agrees with the noun in number, so a plural noun takes the corresponding plural adjective ending.

Morphology and related forms: Finnish adjectives inflect for case and number. In addition to terveet (plural nominative), related forms include terveiden (genitive plural), terveitä (partitive plural), and terveinä (essive plural). For instance, terveiden ihmisten arki means “the everyday life of healthy people,” terveitä ihmisiä means “healthy people (accusative/partitive),” and he ovat terveinä means “they are healthy.”

Etymology and usage notes: terveet derives from the Finnish adjective terve, which expresses health or being in good condition. The word is common in everyday Finnish and is used in both formal and informal contexts to describe multiple subjects as being healthy or in good health. It is not a proper noun and is never capitalized.

See also: terve, terveys, terveellinen.