Finnish

(index se)

Adjective

selvä ‎(comparative selvempi, superlative selvin)

1. clear
2. free
3. sober
4. distinct
5. plain
6. obvious
7. unmistakable
8. lucid
9. evident

Declension

Usage notes

The words selvä and selkeä are partly synonymous, but there are some distinctive senses as well. There's a good article (in Finnish) on the issue on the Kotus website . To sum up selkeä is used of things which have an observable structure, e.g. selkeä taivas ("clear sky") whereas selvä is generally used in abstract contexts, e.g. tehdä selväksi ("to make clear"). There's a wide overlapping area, e.g. a thought may be both selkeä and selvä. Sometimes the difference is a matter of convention, e.g. reitti on selvä means that a route is clear of obstacles and reitti on selkeä means that the route is easy to grasp because it is straightforward and/or well marked.

Synonyms

• (evident): ilmeinen, kiistaton
• selkeä

Derived terms

Interjection

selvä!

1. all right (used to affirm, indicate agreement, or consent).
   • Selvä, mennäänpä sitten.
     • All right, let's go then.

Anagrams

• sävel