kauas

Kauas is a Finnish adverb meaning “far away” or “to a great distance.” It describes spatial distance and, by extension, figurative distance in time, effort, or reach. In usage, kauas often accompanies verbs of motion or placement and is used to indicate how far something is from the speaker or a reference point. The form is common in everyday speech as well as in literature and poetry, where distance can carry metaphorical weight.

Etymology and related forms: the word belongs to the Finnish root kauka‑ meaning distant. Kauas is the adverbial form; related terms include kaukana (far away), kaukaa (from afar), and kaukaisuus (remoteness). The semantic field centers on distance and the scale of reach.

Grammatical notes and usage: kauas functions as an immutable adverb and is not inflected for person or number. It is typically used with verbs of motion or location to express spatial distance, and it also features in idiomatic and poetic constructions to convey emotional or temporal distance. In many contexts, kauas can be contrasted with kaukana to convey subtle differences in nuance, with kaukaa emphasizing origin or source.

See also: kaukana, kaukaa, etäisyys, kaukaisuus, Finnish language.