vähiten

Vähiten is a Finnish adverb meaning the least or the fewest. It is used in quantitative or qualitative comparisons to indicate the smallest amount or degree within a group. As the superlative form of the adverb vähän (a little), vähiten expresses an extreme on the low end of a scale, in contrast to eniten, which expresses the highest degree.

Use and construction

Vähiten is typically used in constructions that compare among several options or items. Common phrasing includes kaikista vähiten (the least of all) or kaikista pienin, depending on the context. It can modify adjectives to convey the lowest degree, and it can appear with verbs to indicate the smallest amount or degree in a situation. In practice, typical sentences include both noun-based comparisons and predicate expressions, such as “This option is kaikista vähiten houkutteleva” or “Hän sai vähiten pisteitä kilpailusta.” It is also common in sentences like “Hän on kaikista vähiten innostunut projektista.”

Syntax and related forms

Vähiten is closely related to the worden eniten (the most) as part of Finnish’s set of degree expressions. The opposite of vähiten is eniten, while a related comparative form of vähemmän (less) is used in other comparative constructions. In everyday language, vähiten often appears with the genitive plural or with kaikista plus a noun to emphasize the minimal status within a group.

See also

eniten, kaikki/vä hisselä: vähäistä, vähäisin (related ideas about amount and extent)

Note: The word is primarily used as an adverb and appears in neutral, factual contexts typical of encyclopedia-style explanations.