vääryyttä

Vääryyttä is a Finnish noun referring to injustice, wrong or harm caused by unfair treatment or actions. The term is used to describe both personal wrongs and broader societal injustices, such as discrimination, abuse of power, or violations of rights. In everyday speech, vääryyttä can denote any act perceived as morally or legally wrongful, while in philosophical or legal contexts it is often discussed in relation to fairness, rights, and moral duty. The word is commonly used with verbs that express experience or occurrence, for example “kokea vääryyttä” (to experience injustice) or “kohdata vääryyttä” (to encounter injustice).

Etymology and form: vääryyttä is the partitive singular of vääryys, which is formed from the adjective väärä (wrong) with a nominal suffix. The partitive form vääryyttä is used with verbs and grammatical constructions that require an indefinite object, as in “tuntea vääryyttä” or “saada vääryyttä.” The related noun vääryys refers to the abstract quality of being unjust or the concrete instances of injustice.

Context and usage: In law, ethics, and social discourse, vääryyttä often points to unfair treatment, breaches of due process, or structural inequalities. It is commonly contrasted with oikeudenmukaisuus (fairness, justice) and epäreiluus (unfairness). The concept is central to discussions of human rights, equality, and civic ethics, as well as to literary and political critique that highlights injustices within institutions or relationships.

See also: oikeudenmukaisuus, epäreiluus, oikeus, oikeudet, tasa-arvo. Translation: in English, vääryyttä is typically rendered as “injustice” or “wrongdoing,” with nuance depending on context.