Vapaaajallaan

Vapaaajallaan is a Finnish expression meaning “in his/her free time” or “during one’s leisure time.” It is used to indicate that an action or event occurs during the subject’s spare time rather than during work or other obligatory periods.

Form and usage. The phrase is formed from the noun vapaa-aika (free time) combined with the inessive form and the third-person possessive suffix, signaling that the time belongs to the person being referred to. Vapaaajallaan is common in narrative and descriptive prose, especially in biographical writing, journalism, and everyday speech, where contrasting work time with leisure time is relevant. Another related form is vapaa-aikansa, meaning “his/her leisure time” as a possessive noun phrase.

Examples. Hän kirjoitti vapaa-ajallaan. (He/she wrote in his/her spare time.) Vapaa-ajallaan hän harrastaa valokuvausta. (During his/her free time, he/she engages in photography.) The phrase can also appear in wider contexts to specify activities carried out during someone’s leisure period, without implying any work-related activity.

Related terms. Vapaa-aika refers to “free time” as a concept, and vapaa-aikansa refers to “his/her leisure time” as a possessive noun phrase. The adverbial counterpart vapaa-ajallaan is often contrasted with phrases like työaikanaan (“during one’s working hours”) or vapaa-ajalla (“in/at free time” in a less possessive sense).

Notes. The form is typical of Finnish’s rich system of time expressions that combine case endings with possessive suffixes to convey precise references to time belonging to a person.