tiukoille

Tiukoille is a Finnish idiom that denotes being in a difficult or tight situation, often translated as "in a bind" or "in a tight spot." The expression is formed from the adjective tiukka meaning tight or stringent and the allative suffix -lle, which in idiomatic use signals movement toward or entry into a state. It is commonly used with verbs such as joutua (to fall into) or päästä (to get into).

Usage and nuance: Tiukoille usually refers to situations involving pressure, scarcity, or constraints, especially financial or logistical ones. It is common in everyday speech and in media coverage, describing personal finances, corporate finances, government budgeting, or deadlines and resource limits. The form tiukoilla is a related variant meaning “in a tight spot” and is widely used in similar contexts.

Examples:

- Hän joutui tiukoille, kun projektin rahoitus loppui. (He found himself in a tight spot when the project funding ran out.)

- Yritys on tiukoilla kustannusten kasvun vuoksi. (The company is tight financially due to rising costs.)

- Tilanne on tiukoilla rahatilanteen takia. (The situation is tight financially.)

See also: idioms in Finnish, financial squeeze, pressure in language.