työ

Työ is a Finnish noun meaning work, labor, or employment. It denotes the activity of applying physical or mental effort to produce goods or services, and it also refers to a person's job or occupation. In everyday language, työ can describe a specific task as well as the general condition of working.

The word is native to Finnish and is cognate with Estonian töö and related Finnic terms. It reflects the broader concept of productive activity and appears in numerous compound words.

Common compounds include työpaikka (workplace), työaika (working time), työelämä (working life), and työmarkkinat (labour market). Related terms include työntekijä or työnantaja (employee and employer), and työttömyys (unemployment). The verb form tehdä töitä means to work, while mennä töihin means to go to work.

In Finland, työ is embedded in a regulated system of labor law and collective agreements that cover pay, hours, safety, and equal opportunity. The työaikalaki (working-time act) and the työturvallisuuslaki (occupational safety and health act) govern daily practice, while social protection, unemployment benefits, and retraining programs support workers in transitions. Work is a central source of income and social participation, and policy discussions about productivity, work-life balance, and automation are common in public life.