Siviilissä

Siviilissä is the Finnish adverb meaning “in civilian life” or “as a civilian.” It describes a status or mode of life outside military or police service and is commonly used to contrast with being in service or in uniform. The phrase can refer to a person who has completed military service and returned to civilian life, or to someone who is not currently serving in the armed forces.

In legal and public discourse, siviilissä may also denote participation in civilian service (siviilipalvelus) instead of military service. Civilian service is an alternative to compulsory military service for eligible individuals and conscientious objectors; those performing siviilipalvelus are considered to be in civilian service rather than in military service. The term thus carries both everyday and legal connotations, indicating non-military employment, study, or other activities in the general population.

In everyday usage, siviilissä contrasts with terms such as palveluksessa or sotilaallinen palvelus. It is also used to describe life between deployments for reservists, or simply to indicate that a person is not currently in active duty. The concept highlights the division in many countries between civilian life and military or para-military service, and reflects the social and legal distinctions between non-military and military activities.

See also: Siviilipalvelus; Military service in Finland; Civilian status; Civilian life.