kunjolloin

Kunjolloin is a Finnish temporal word used as a conjunction or adverb to mark the specific time when an action occurs. It denotes a moment in the past (or reference time) and links a subordinate clause to the main clause by indicating when the described event took place. The form is generally treated as a single lexical item in modern Finnish, though it can be analyzed historically as a combination of kun (when) and jolloin (at that time).

In usage, kunjolloin tends to appear in written Finnish, especially in formal, literary, or historical contexts. In everyday speech, speakers more often use phrases such as silloin kun, silloin kun, tuolloin kun, or simply use kun and jolloin separately. As a temporal marker, kunjolloin does not take inflection; its function is determined by its placement and punctuation, with the surrounding verbs showing the tense of the main clause.

Grammatical role and nuance: kunjolloin emphasizes the simultaneity or the exact moment during which the main clause’s action occurs. It can convey a sense of specificity or formality, and it often appears when the writer wants to link two events with a clear temporal bridge.

Examples: Kunjolloin kaupungissa elettiin vilkkaasti. Hän muisteli nuoruuttaan, kunjolloin asui kauempana. The expression can pair with various verbs to situate events within a clearly defined time frame.

See also: silloinen, silloin, silloin kun, tuolloin.