väliaikainen

Väliaikainen is a Finnish adjective meaning temporary or provisional, describing something intended to last only for a limited period. The word is formed from väliaika, meaning an interim or interim period, with the adjectival suffix -nen. The sense is that the condition or arrangement is not permanent and may be changed later.

In Finnish grammar, väliaikainen agrees with the noun it modifies in number and case: esimerkiksi väliaikainen ratkaisu (singular, nominative), väliaikaisen ratkaisun (genitive), väliaikaiset ratkaisut (plural), or väliaikaisessa tilassa (inessive). It can also function as a nominal modifier in compounds and set phrases.

Common contexts for väliaikainen include work, housing, policy, and everyday use. It is widely used for temporary arrangements such as väliaikainen työ (temporary job), väliaikaiset tilat (temporary facilities), and väliaikainen päätös vagy väliaikaiset toimet (temporary measures or decisions). In computing or everyday life, phrases like väliaikainen tiedosto (temporary file) or väliaikainen ratkaisu illustrate its meaning. In medical or service settings one might encounter väliaikainen hoito or väliaikainen palvelun järjestäminen.

Nuance: väliaikainen implies that the situation is limited in time and not intended as a permanent solution, though it may become permanent later if circumstances change. It is commonly preferred in official or formal language to signal provisional status.