tiukaksi

Tiukaksi is a Finnish grammatical form derived from the adjective tiukka, meaning tight or strict. In Finnish, the translative suffix -ksi marks a change of state, so tiukaksi expresses “into a tight/strict state.” It is used with verbs that denote becoming or turning into something, such as tulla or muuttua.

Usage and examples: Hänestä tuli tiukaksi. This means “He/She became strict.” Säännöt muuttuivat tiukiksi. “The rules became stricter.” The form agrees for number: tiukaksi for singular subjects, tiukiksi for plural; e.g., Olosuhteet muuttuivat tiukiksi (“The conditions became tight/strict”). The choice of tiukaksi vs. tiukiksi depends on the number of the subject.

Nuances: tiukaksi can refer to physical tightness in a more figurative sense, or to strictness in attitudes, regulations, or expectations. The exact sense depends on context and accompanying verbs or nouns. Related words include tiukka (the base adjective) and tiukkuus (the noun meaning tightness or stringency). In everyday Finnish, tiukaksi is most commonly heard in expressions about becoming stricter or tighter in a non-literal sense.