tilapäisesti

Tilapäisesti is a Finnish adverb meaning “for a limited time” or “temporarily.” It is used to describe a state, condition, or action that is not permanent, and it often accompanies verbs to indicate duration.

Etymology and usage notes: Tilapäisesti is derived from tilapäinen, meaning temporary, with the adverbial suffix -sti. The word is standard in both formal and informal Finnish and appears in everyday speech, official notices, and signage. It is closely related to but distinct from väliaikaisesti, another common adverb meaning temporarily, with subtle nuances in nuance and formality.

Usage and examples: Tilapäisesti modifies verbs or verb phrases to mark temporaryity. Examples in Finnish include: Ravintola on tilapäisesti suljettu remontin vuoksi. (The restaurant is temporarily closed due to renovations.) Hän toimii tilapäisesti opettajana. (He is working temporarily as a teacher.) Palvelu on tilapäisesti pois käytöstä. (The service is temporarily out of use.) In signage, you might see “Tilapäisesti pois käytöstä” to indicate a temporary interruption.

See also: tilapäinen (the related adjective meaning temporary), and väliaikaisesti (another common synonym with a similar sense of temporary duration). Nuances between tilapäisesti and väliaikaisesti are subtle and often interchangeable, though tilapäisesti can be more common in everyday language.