Lähellä

Lähellä is a Finnish word meaning near or close to. It is used as an adverb and in locative expressions to indicate proximity in space or time, and it can also be used figuratively to describe closeness in relationships or circumstances. Examples include kaupungin lähellä, meaning near the city, and talo on lähellä minua, meaning the house is near me.

Etymology and form: Lähellä derives from the root related to proximity and is used as a fixed form in phrases to express nearness. It commonly appears with a reference point in genitive or other cases, such as kaupungin lähellä (near the city), to situate objects or events in relation to something else.

Usage and nuance: In everyday speech, media, signage, and writing, lähellä communicates immediacy and accessibility as well as physical proximity. It can describe near-distance in space, nearness in time, or figurative closeness between people, objects, or ideas. Related terms include lähelläisyys (nearness) and lähialue (neighboring area or nearby region), which expand on the concept of proximity.

See also: lähelläisyys, lähialue. This term is commonly encountered in Finnish language materials and reflects the everyday use of spatial and temporal proximity in communication.