Elikkä

Elikkä is a Finnish conjunction used to introduce a clarification or restatement. It is roughly equivalent to the English expression that is, i.e., in other words. The word is most common in spoken Finnish and informal writing, where a speaker or writer wants to explain or rephrase what has just been said. In formal writing, it is usually avoided in favor of eli, siis, or toisin sanoen.

Linguistic notes and usage context. Elikkä is generally considered a nonstandard or colloquial variant of eli. Its use signals a conversational tone and is often found in dialogue, humorous passages, or informal online and text communication. While widely understood by Finnish speakers, it may feel expressive or regionally colored and can be seen as part of character voice in fiction or script dialogue.

Forms and pronunciation. The spelling elikkä reflects a phonetic rendition of the same conjunction as eli. In everyday writing, especially among younger speakers or in dialect-rich regions, other spellings such as elikkää may also appear. The core meaning remains a clarifying link between a prior statement and its restatement.

Examples. Hän ei tule, elikkä hän on sairas. Me lähdemme nyt, elikkä voimme aloittaa. Olet totta kai oikeassa, elikkä tarkoitukseni oli…

Related terms. Eli is the standard form for “that is” in formal contexts. Siis and toisin sanoen are common alternatives for restating or clarifying. Elikkä is part of the informal register and is typically avoided in formal writing.