täysiaikainen

Täysiaikainen is a Finnish adjective meaning “full-time.” It describes tasks, positions, or statuses that cover the full set of regular hours or workload defined for a period, such as a week or a term. The term is used across employment, education, and public administration to distinguish full-time arrangements from part-time ones. The opposite is osa-aikainen (part-time), and a related concept in casual work is keikkatyö (gig work). The adverb form is täysiaikaisesti.

In employment, täysiaikainen työsuhde refers to a contract for full-time work, typically corresponding to the standard weekly hours set by applicable collective agreements or national rules. This is usually contrasted with osa-aikainen työsuhde (part-time) or other forms of irregular work. In practice, täysiaikainen status often affects salary scales, benefits, and payroll handling.

In education, täysiaikaiset opinnot denote a full course load within a term, and a täysiaikainen opiskelija is a student enrolled in full-time studies. This status can influence eligibility for student aid, housing, and other services. The term also appears in public-sector and social-security contexts, where full-time status may determine rights or obligations.

Etymology: the word combines täysi (full) and aika (time) with the -aikainen suffix, forming a standard Finnish compound adjective. It is used as an adjective that accompanies nouns, with inflected forms to match case and number.