täpliä

Täpliä is a Finnish noun meaning one or more spots, blotches, or patches on a surface. The base form täplä refers to a single spot, while täpliä is the plural form used when speaking about several spots or when the quantity is indefinite. The word is native to Finnish and is commonly used in everyday language to describe marks on fabrics, surfaces, or natural patterns on living beings.

In textiles, design, and art, täplä describes irregular patches of color or texture that form a motif. A fabric pattern can be described as täpläinen or as having täpliä. In biology and zoology, animals with spotted markings may be described as täplikkä or as having täpliä in their coat patterns; for example, leopardin täplät refers to a leopard’s spots. In everyday speech, täpliä is often used for stains or blotches on objects as well, though tähra is also a common term for a specific stain, such as a liquid spill.

Grammar and usage notes: täplä is a native Finnish noun with several inflected forms. Nominative plural is täplät, used when referring to the spots as a subject. Partitive plural is täpliä, used when the amount is indefinite (e.g., Kankaassa on täpliä). Genitive plural is täplien. In English, täpliä can translate as spot, blot, or stain depending on the context. Related terms include täplikäs (spotted), pilkku (dot), and tahra (stain).