väliin

Väliin is a Finnish word that functions as the illative form of the noun väli, meaning a gap, interval, or space between two things. In practice, väliin is used to express movement into a space between items or to indicate involvement in a sequence or interaction that occurs between other elements.

Etymology and grammar: Väli means gap or interval, and the illative suffix -iin turns it into a directional/target form meaning “into the gap.” The form is commonly used with verbs of movement, placement, or intervention, and it can describe physical insertion as well as figurative positioning within a process or event.

Usage and senses: Väliin often denotes entering or inserting something into a space between objects, as in “kahden tuolin väliin” to mean “into the space between two chairs.” It also appears in idiomatic expressions that convey intervening or getting between people or events, such as intervening in a quarrel. The sense can be spatial (into a gap) or relational (into a sequence or moment in time), depending on the surrounding words and the verb used.

Examples:

- Hän meni väliin riidassa. — He intervened in the quarrel.

- Rautakappale työnnettiin kahden tuolin väliin. — The metal piece was pushed into the space between the two chairs.

See also: Väli, Finnish grammar, Illative case.