Learn Hardcore Finnish: Tämä ruoka on hyvälaatuinen.

It consists of three parts:
• hyvä = “good” (adjective)
• laatu = “quality” (noun)
• -inen = adjective-forming suffix (“characterized by”)
Combining them (hyvä + laatu + -inen) yields hyvälaatuinen, literally “good-quality.”

Why is hyvälaatuinen written as one word instead of hyvä laatuinen?

Finnish forms compounds by joining words that together express a single idea. Here “good quality” is one concept, so you write hyvälaatuinen as a single compound. Splitting it into two words would make them independent and change the meaning.

What role does the suffix -inen play in hyvälaatuinen?

The suffix -inen attaches to a noun to turn it into an adjective meaning “related to” or “having the nature of” that noun.
• laatu (“quality”) → laatuinen (“quality-related”)
Then hyvä (“good”) modifies laatuinen, giving “of good quality.”

How do you decline hyvälaatuinen in the singular and plural?

Singular
• Nominative: hyvälaatuinen
• Genitive: hyvälaatuisen
• Partitive: hyvälaatuista

Plural
• Nominative: hyvälaatuiset
• Genitive: hyvälaatuisten
• Partitive: hyvälaatuisia

Why does the sentence use hyvälaatuinen (nominative) and not hyvälaatuista (partitive)?

After on (“is”), the predicate adjective agrees with the subject (Tämä ruoka, nominative singular). Therefore the adjective stays in nominative singular (hyvälaatuinen). Using the partitive (hyvälaatuista) would either change the meaning or sound unnatural here.

How would you use hyvälaatuinen attributively before a noun?

An attributive adjective must match the noun’s case and number. For example:
• Sing. nominative: hyvälaatuinen ruoka (“good-quality food”)
• Sing. partitive: hyvälaatuista ruokaa (“some good-quality food”)
• Plural nominative: hyvälaatuiset ruoat (“good-quality foods”)

Are there synonyms for hyvälaatuinen, like korkealaatuinen or laadukas? Any nuance differences?

• korkealaatuinen = “high-quality,” often formal or marketing language.
• laadukas = “well-made” or “of good quality,” slightly more colloquial and concise.
All three overlap: hyvälaatuinen stresses “good quality,” korkealaatuinen suggests a top tier, and laadukas focuses on workmanship or standard.

How is hyvälaatuinen pronounced and syllabified?

Syllables: hy-vä-laa-tui-nen
Pronunciation tips:
• y = front-rounded vowel (like German ü)
• ä = open front vowel (like English “cat”)
• aa = long a
Primary stress always falls on the first syllable (hy).