alkupäähän

Alkupäähän is a Finnish word that translates to "at the beginning," "at the start," or "initially" in English. It is commonly used to describe the initial phase or early part of something, whether it be an event, a process, a period of time, or a journey. The word is formed from the Finnish words "alku" meaning "beginning" or "start," and "päähän" which is a case form of "pää" meaning "head" or "end." Together, they convey the sense of being at the very front or initial point.

For example, one might say "alkupäähän oli kylmää" meaning "it was cold at the beginning." Similarly, if describing a project, "alkupäähän teimme suunnitelmia" translates to "initially, we made plans." The phrase emphasizes the early stages and can be used in various contexts to differentiate actions or conditions occurring at the outset from those that follow. It is a versatile adverbial phrase that helps specify the temporal location of an event or situation within a larger whole.