aikalausista
Aikalausista is a term that appears in discussions of Finnish grammar to refer to temporal clauses, the subordinate clauses that indicate time in relation to the main clause. In standard Finnish terminology these are called aikalauseet, and the genitive plural form of that term is commonly aikalauseista. The form aikalausista is not the conventional spelling in linguistic references, but it is often encountered as a variant in informal use. Temporal clauses play a central role in expressing when an action happens or how events relate over time.
Temporal clauses function as adverbial clauses that specify the time frame of the main clause. They are
- Kun hän saapuu, menemme ulos. (When he arrives, we will go out.)
- Menemme ulos, kun hän saapuu. (We will go out when he arrives.)
- Ennen kuin hän saapuu, aloitan kokouksen. (Before he arrives, I will start the meeting.)
Temporal clauses can express specific moments, durations, or sequence of events and are a common device for