Aikalausista

Aikalausista is a term that appears in discussions of Finnish grammar to refer to temporal clauses, the subordinate clauses that indicate time in relation to the main clause. In standard Finnish terminology these are called aikalauseet, and the genitive plural form of that term is commonly aikalauseista. The form aikalausista is not the conventional spelling in linguistic references, but it is often encountered as a variant in informal use. Temporal clauses play a central role in expressing when an action happens or how events relate over time.

Temporal clauses function as adverbial clauses that specify the time frame of the main clause. They are typically introduced by time-related conjunctions such as kun (when), kunnes (until), ennen kuin (before), jälkeen kun (after), silloin kun (at that time), and samaan aikaan kun (at the same time as). Finnish allows these clauses to appear either before or after the main clause, with a comma commonly separating the two when the temporal clause is fronted. The tense in the temporal clause reflects the perceived time of the action in relation to the main clause, which can yield past, present, or future readings depending on context.

Examples:

- Kun hän saapuu, menemme ulos. (When he arrives, we will go out.)

- Menemme ulos, kun hän saapuu. (We will go out when he arrives.)

- Ennen kuin hän saapuu, aloitan kokouksen. (Before he arrives, I will start the meeting.)

Usage notes:

Temporal clauses can express specific moments, durations, or sequence of events and are a common device for linking actions in Finnish discourse. Proper punctuation and word order help clarify the temporal relationship, especially when fronting the temporal clause for emphasis. See also aikalause, aikalausmaiset rakenteet, and other Finnish clause types for broader syntactic context.