Bedeutung
To become less involved.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Finns value 'oma rauha' (own peace). Taking distance is often seen as a sign of respect for oneself and others, rather than a cold rejection. In Japan, 'kyori o oku' is a common way to maintain social harmony (wa) by avoiding direct confrontation while still setting a boundary. The concept of 'needing space' is very similar, but in the US, it is often communicated more explicitly and sometimes seen as a 'red flag' in dating. In more communal cultures, 'taking distance' can be perceived as more hurtful or as a 'silent treatment' (mykkäkoulu in Finnish).
Use with 'vähän'
Adding 'vähän' (a little) makes the phrase sound softer and less aggressive in social situations.
Case sensitivity
Always remember the -sta/-stä ending for the thing you are leaving. Without it, the sentence is incomplete.
Bedeutung
To become less involved.
Use with 'vähän'
Adding 'vähän' (a little) makes the phrase sound softer and less aggressive in social situations.
Case sensitivity
Always remember the -sta/-stä ending for the thing you are leaving. Without it, the sentence is incomplete.
Professional distancing
In a job interview, saying you can 'ottaa etäisyyttä ja katsoa kokonaiskuvaa' (take distance and look at the big picture) is a great way to show analytical skills.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the correct case.
Haluan ottaa etäisyyttä ______ (työ).
The elative case (-sta) is used with 'ottaa etäisyyttä' to indicate what you are distancing yourself from.
Which sentence is the most natural for a professional setting?
A company wants to distance itself from a scandal.
Option B uses the correct collocation and case for a formal context.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Miksi et vastaa Pekan viesteihin? B: ____________________.
'Hänestä' is the elative form of 'hän' (he/she).
Match the phrase to the situation.
Match 'Otan etäisyyttä uutisiin' to the reason.
Distancing oneself from the news is a common response to political fatigue.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenHaluan ottaa etäisyyttä ______ (työ).
The elative case (-sta) is used with 'ottaa etäisyyttä' to indicate what you are distancing yourself from.
A company wants to distance itself from a scandal.
Option B uses the correct collocation and case for a formal context.
A: Miksi et vastaa Pekan viesteihin? B: ____________________.
'Hänestä' is the elative form of 'hän' (he/she).
Match 'Otan etäisyyttä uutisiin' to the reason.
Distancing oneself from the news is a common response to political fatigue.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNot necessarily. In Finland, it's often seen as a honest way to set boundaries. However, saying it abruptly to a partner might be hurtful.
Yes, 'Ota etäisyyttä edellä ajavaan' is a standard instruction in driving schools.
'Eristäytyä' means to isolate oneself completely, while 'ottaa etäisyyttä' is just about creating a gap from a specific thing.
It's in the partitive case because the action is not 'completing' a specific, whole distance, but taking an indefinite amount of it.
Yes, e.g., 'Otan etäisyyttä jalkapallosta' if you are taking a break from the sport.
'Ottaa happea' (take oxygen) is the most common slang equivalent for taking a break from a situation.
'Tarvitsen tilaa' is direct, but 'Minun täytyy ottaa vähän etäisyyttä' is also very common and slightly more descriptive.
Yes, 'Otan etäisyyttä Helsinkiin' means you are moving away or spending time elsewhere to get away from the city vibe.
Verwandte Redewendungen
pitää etäisyyttä
similarTo keep distance
vetäytyä
synonymTo withdraw
ottaa happea
informalTo take a breather
pysyä kaukana
specialized formTo stay far away
