Adverbs Ending in isin: kotoisin peräisin aamuisin
Finnish has a fairly small group (about 50 words) of adverbs ending in -isin. Most of these will be related to time, but there are other groups too.
Adverbs of Time Ending in -isin
When an adverb ending in -isin is attached to a noun related to a period of time, it will add the idea of this time period recurring. For example aamulla means “in the morning”, while aamuisin means “every morning”.
| Adverb | Translation |
|---|---|
| öisin | nightly, by night |
| päivisin | daily, by day |
| iltaisin | in the evenings, every evening |
| aamuisin | in the mornings, every morning |
| aamupäivisin | in the late mornings, every late morning |
| kesäisin | during the summer months, every summer |
| syksyisin | in autumn, every autumn |
| talvisin | during the winter, every winter |
| keväisin | in springtime, every spring |
| maanantaisin | on Mondays, every Monday |
| tiistaisin | on Tuesdays, every Tuesday |
| keskiviikkoisin | on Wednesdays, every Wednesday |
| torstaisin | on Thursdays, every Thursday |
| perjantaisin | on Fridays, every Friday |
| lauantaisin | on Saturdays, every Saturday |
| sunnuntaisin | on Sundays, every Sunday |
| arkipäivisin | on weekdays |
| viikonloppuisin | in the weekends |
| arkiaamuisin | on weekday mornings |
| pyhäpäivisin | on Sundays and holidays |
| kesäsunnuntaisin | on Sundays in summer |
The following table contains some common example sentences you could use.
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Ota lääke aamuisin ja iltaisin. | Take the med every morning and every evening. |
| Olen päivisin pois kotoa. | I’m away from home during the days. |
| Hän oli talvisin metsätöissä. | He worked in the woods every winter. |
| Käyn maanantaisin kuntosalilla. | I go to the gym every Monday. |
| Kauppa on avoinna vain arkisin. | The store is only open on weekdays. |
| Viikonloppuisin olemme kesämökillä. | We’re at the summer cottage during weekends. |
| Kesäisin vietämme aikaa mökillä. | During the summers we spend time at the cottage. |
| Arkiaamuisin herään kuudelta. | On weekday mornings I wake up at six. |
| Käyn pyhäisin kirkossa. | I go to church on “sacred days” (Sundays). |
| Lääkäri on töissä myös pyhäpäivisin. | A doctor also works on Sundays and holidays. |
Adverbs of Origin Ending in -isin
Some adverbs that express where something is from will also have –isin at the end. All these words mean the same thing, with the small differences between them being too small to address here. The adverb kotoisin is the most common one (and one you probably have learned already). Notice how all of them are used in combination with the verb olla.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| Minä olen kotoisin Saksasta. | I’m from Germany. |
| Hän on lähtöisin hyvästä perheestä. | He comes from a good family. |
| Hän on syntyisin Heinolasta. | He’s born in Heinola. |
| Uskomus on peräisin keskiajalta. | The belief dates back to the Middle Ages. |
| Sanonta on alkuisin Raamatusta. | The saying is originally from the Bible. |
Other Adverbs
These adverbs mainly express the way things are or are done.
| Example | Translation |
|---|---|
| sekaisin | upset, tangled |
| takaisin | back |
| edestakaisin | back and forth |
| ylösalaisin | upside down |
| läpikotaisin | through and through |
| sattumoisin | by chance |
| väkisin | forcible, bodily |
| puoliväkisin | half-forced |
| toisin | otherwise, differently |
| kolmisin | the three of us |
| nelisin | the four of us |
| jalkaisin | by foot, on foot |
| hajareisin | astride (horse) |
| aikaisin | early |
| nykyisin | these days, nowadays |
In addition to the list above, you can find some examples that will help understand how to use these adverbs.
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Tulin takaisin jalkaisin. | I came back on foot. |
| Tekisin kaiken toisin nyt. | I would do everything differently now. |
| Kaikki on sekaisin. | Everything is messed up. |
| Harpon edestakaisin. | I walk back and forth. |
| Tunnen prosessin läpikotaisin. | I know the process thoroughly. |
| Se roikkuu oksasta ylösalaisin. | It hangs from a branch upside down. |
| Tiedätkö sattumoisin vastauksen? | Do you happen to know the answer? |
| Naura aina, vaikka väkisin! | Laugh always, even if you force it! |
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