yksityisen

Yksityinen is a Finnish adjective meaning private, personal, or not public. It is used to describe aspects that belong to individuals or to the non-public sphere, in contrast with julkinen (public) or state-related terms. The word appears in a wide range of contexts, including life, ownership, and sectors, for example in discussions about the private sector, private life, or private property.

The form yksityisen is the genitive singular of the adjective yksityinen. It is used to indicate possession or association with the noun that follows in genitive case. For instance, in phrases like yksityisen sektorin yritykset (the private sector’s companies) or yksityisen omistuksen ehdoilla (on the terms of private ownership), the adjective agrees with the noun in case and number. Other inflected forms of the adjective appear according to Finnish grammar and the noun being described.

In everyday and formal Finnish, yksityinen is common in contrasts such as private versus public services or ownership. Typical contexts include discussions of the private sector, private life, and private property, as in keskustelu yksityisen ja julkisen sektorin rooleista or palvelujen järjestämisestä yksityisellä sektorilla. The term also appears in compounds and in combinations with nouns that denote private spheres or ownership.

Etymology: yksityinen stems from the Finnish concept of private or private life, related to yksityisyys (privacy) and the broader idea of the private sphere. Related terms include yksityiselämä, yksityishenkilö, and julkinen.

See also: yksityiselämä, yksityishenkilö, julkinen.