tulevaisuutta

Tulevaisuutta is a Finnish noun meaning “the future” or “the times to come.” It is the partitive singular form of tulevaisuus, used when the future is treated as an indefinite portion or as the object of a verb. The term refers to both the time ahead and the prospects or developments that may occur.

The word is formed from tuleva, meaning “coming,” with the suffix -isuus, which creates an abstract noun describing a state or quality. In Finnish, tulevaisuus declines like other nouns, with tulevaisuutta as the partitive singular form; other forms include tulevaisuuden (genitive) and tulevaisuudessa (in the future). The partitive tulevaisuutta commonly appears in constructions such as ajattelimme tulevaisuutta (we contemplated the future) or tulevaisuutta koskevat arviot (evaluations concerning the future).

In usage, tulevaisuutta is common in discussions of planning, science, and philosophy, and it frequently appears in media and political discourse when addressing long-term consequences and forecasts. It is often contrasted with menneisyys (the past) and nykyhetki (the present). Related terms include tulevaisuuskuva, tulevaisuudentutkimus, and ennuste, reflecting different aspects of future-oriented thought. For example, Ajattelimme tulevaisuutta. Tulevaisuutta koskevat arviot ovat erilaisia.