lepoaikana

Lepoaikana is a Finnish temporal phrase meaning “during the rest period” or “in the course of rest.” It is used to indicate that a particular action or event occurs within a designated period of rest, such as a break in work, school, or transportation schedules. The expression functions as a time adverbial and is commonly found in both informal speech and formal writing.

Etymology and form: The term is formed from lepo (rest) and aika (time) with the suffix -na to create a phrase that marks a time frame. The base idea is the time during which rest takes place, and lepoaikana is used without changing its form to fit different clauses.

Usage and examples: In sentences, lepoaikana serves to specify that an action happens while rest is in progress. Examples include: “Lepoaikana ei saa tehdä raskaita töitä.” (During the rest period, no heavy work may be performed.) “Lepoaikana laitteet ovat pois käytöstä.” (During the rest period, devices are out of use.) Because of its adverbial nature, lepoaikana can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a clause, depending on emphasis and style.

Related terms and variants: The related noun form is lepoaika (rest period). Other time expressions in Finnish may convey similar meanings with slightly different nuance, such as lepoajalla or lepoaikaan, depending on sentence structure and emphasis. Le-po-ai-ka-na is primarily a neutral, descriptive temporal phrase suitable for instructional, legal, and descriptive contexts.

See also: lepoaika, Finnish time expressions, Finnish grammar of adverbial phrases.