Bedeutung
The progression of time.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Finns often use 'aika kuluu' with a heavy sigh (huoh) to express a sense of 'resigned realism' about aging or the end of summer. In the sauna, time is said to 'pysähtyä' (stop), which is the ultimate contrast to 'aika kuluu'. Being in a place where time *doesn't* wear out is a spiritual experience for Finns. Because time is seen as something that 'wears out', wasting someone else's time by being late is seen as stealing a non-renewable resource. In Finnish social media, #aikakuluu is often used for 'Then vs Now' photos, similar to #tbt (Throwback Thursday).
The 'Sigh' Factor
If you want to sound truly Finnish, add a small 'no jaa' or a sigh before saying 'aika kuluu'. It adds that perfect touch of Nordic melancholy.
Duration vs. Passage
Never use 'kuluu' to answer the question 'How long?'. Use 'kestää' for that.
Bedeutung
The progression of time.
The 'Sigh' Factor
If you want to sound truly Finnish, add a small 'no jaa' or a sigh before saying 'aika kuluu'. It adds that perfect touch of Nordic melancholy.
Duration vs. Passage
Never use 'kuluu' to answer the question 'How long?'. Use 'kestää' for that.
Small Talk Savior
If a conversation dies, just look at your watch and say 'Aika kuluu'. It's a socially acceptable way to either restart the talk or make an exit.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing verb in the correct form (present tense).
Lomalla aika ______ nopeasti.
'Aika kuluu' is the standard phrase for time passing.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'Time passed slowly'?
'Kului' is the past tense of 'kulua'.
Match the Finnish phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are common adverbial additions to the base phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Oletko jo valmis? B: En, ________ kuluu niin nopeasti, etten ehdi!
'Aika' is the most natural subject here.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Kulua vs. Kestää
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenLomalla aika ______ nopeasti.
'Aika kuluu' is the standard phrase for time passing.
How do you say 'Time passed slowly'?
'Kului' is the past tense of 'kulua'.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are common adverbial additions to the base phrase.
A: Oletko jo valmis? B: En, ________ kuluu niin nopeasti, etten ehdi!
'Aika' is the most natural subject here.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, it means 'Time runs'. It's similar to 'Aika rientää' (Time flies) but slightly more informal.
Yes, it's completely neutral and can be used with anyone, from your boss to your child.
'Kuluu' is intransitive (time passes by itself). 'Kuluttaa' is transitive (you spend/consume time or money).
Yes! 'Rahaa kuluu' means 'Money is being spent/used up'.
The most common way is 'Aika rientää' or 'Aika kuluu siivillä'.
It's a way of acknowledging how much time has passed since they last saw the child, usually with a bit of shock.
Both! 'Aika kuluu' is 'Time passes'. 'Aikaa kuluu' (partitive) is used when saying *how much* time passes, e.g., 'Siihen kuluu paljon aikaa'.
Yes, e.g., 'Aika kuluu, ja meidän täytyy saada vastaus pian.'
It can be, but usually it's just a very practical observation.
There isn't a direct single-word opposite, but you could say 'Aika pysähtyy' (Time stops).
Verwandte Redewendungen
Aika rientää
similarTime flies/hurries
Tappaa aikaa
relatedTo kill time
Ajan myötä
builds onOver time / with the passage of time
Aika on rahaa
relatedTime is money
Odottaa aikaa
contrastTo wait for a time
