Lomalla

Lomalla is a Finnish term meaning "on holiday" or "on vacation." It describes a state of being away from work or regular duties rather than a specific place. The word is widely used in everyday Finnish, in conversations, notices, and written communication, to indicate that someone is taking time off.

Formation and grammar: Lomalla is formed from loma, meaning holiday or leave, plus the inessive suffix -lla, which marks a location or state of being "in/on/at." It is commonly used with the verb olla to form phrases such as olen lomalla ("I am on vacation") and olemme lomalla ensi viikolla ("We will be on vacation next week"). In signs or messages, lomalla can appear as a stand-alone heading or notifier, for example on an automatic reply or a workplace sign indicating absence.

Usage and nuance: The term covers holidays taken at home or abroad and does not specify the destination. In Finnish culture, annual leave and school holidays are key seasonal events; summer is a peak period for vacations, with many people taking several weeks away from work. The corresponding noun is loma, and related expressions include loman aikana ("during vacation") and lomaviikko ("holiday week").

See also: Finnish language; loma; loman aikana; lomaviikko.