välinettä

Väline is a Finnish noun meaning instrument, implement, or device used to perform a task. It covers a broad range of objects and concepts, from simple hand tools to complex equipment, and can refer to tangible items as well as abstract means such as software or communication channels. The term is widely used across fields such as crafts, industry, science, sport, and daily life, and is often paired with more specific terms like työkalu (hand tool), laite (machine), or välineistö (tooling).

In grammatical terms, välinettä is the partitive or genitive singular form of väline. It appears in sentences such as “Tarvitsen välinettä” (I need a tool) and “Käytä tätä välinettä” (Use this instrument). The plural nominative form is välineet, the plural partitive välineitä, and the genitive singular välineen. The word also forms compound phrases such as käsityövälineet (tools for craft), laboratorio­välineet (lab equipment), or tekniset välineet (technological means).

Common types of väline include hand tools, measuring devices, laboratory equipment, and communication means. In contemporary use, väline can also denote software tools or methods used to achieve an outcome, not just physical devices. The term highlights the relationship between an agent and the means by which it acts.

See also: työkalu, laite, välineistö, instrumentti, välineet.