B1 Expression Neutral

siitä onkin jo aikaa

it has been a long time

Significado

A long period has passed since an event.

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Contexto cultural

Finns value 'asiallinen' (matter-of-fact) communication. Acknowledging time with this phrase is a way to show you value the history without being overly emotional. In the north, time is often measured by the 'eight seasons'. This phrase might be used when referring to the last time the 'kaamos' (polar night) was this dark. In offices, this phrase is a polite way to restart a dormant professional relationship or project without blaming anyone for the delay. On Finnish forums like Vauva.fi or Ylilauta, this phrase is often used ironically when someone bumps a very old thread (necroposting).

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Use the '-kin' for warmth

Adding '-kin' makes you sound like a native speaker who is genuinely reflecting, rather than just stating a fact.

⚠️

Watch the case!

Never say 'siitä on aika'. It must be 'aikaa' (partitive).

Significado

A long period has passed since an event.

🎯

Use the '-kin' for warmth

Adding '-kin' makes you sound like a native speaker who is genuinely reflecting, rather than just stating a fact.

⚠️

Watch the case!

Never say 'siitä on aika'. It must be 'aikaa' (partitive).

💬

The Finnish Pause

After saying this phrase, it's common to have a 1-2 second pause to let the nostalgia sink in. Don't rush to the next sentence!

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the missing word to complete the phrase.

Siitä ______ jo aikaa.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: onkin

The third-person singular 'on' + clitic '-kin' is the standard form for this expression.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Choose the correct version:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Siitä on jo aikaa.

You need the elative 'siitä' and the partitive 'aikaa'.

Complete the dialogue naturally.

A: 'Muistatko, kun kävimme Pariisissa vuonna 2010?' B: 'Totta kai! _________.'

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Siitä onkin jo aikaa

This is the most natural nostalgic response to a memory from 2010.

Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation.

When would you say 'Siitä onkin jo aikaa'?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: When you find a toy you played with 20 years ago.

The phrase is used for long intervals of time.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Banco de ejercicios

4 ejercicios
Fill in the missing word to complete the phrase. Fill Blank A2

Siitä ______ jo aikaa.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: onkin

The third-person singular 'on' + clitic '-kin' is the standard form for this expression.

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Choose B1

Choose the correct version:

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Siitä on jo aikaa.

You need the elative 'siitä' and the partitive 'aikaa'.

Complete the dialogue naturally. dialogue_completion B1

A: 'Muistatko, kun kävimme Pariisissa vuonna 2010?' B: 'Totta kai! _________.'

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: Siitä onkin jo aikaa

This is the most natural nostalgic response to a memory from 2010.

Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation. situation_matching A2

When would you say 'Siitä onkin jo aikaa'?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: When you find a toy you played with 20 years ago.

The phrase is used for long intervals of time.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Preguntas frecuentes

4 preguntas

Yes, but you usually add 'kun näimme' (since we saw each other). For example: 'Siitä onkin jo aikaa, kun näimme.'

Absolutely. It's a very polite way to acknowledge a long gap between meetings.

'Kauan' means 'a long time' (adverb), while 'aikaa' is 'time' (noun). They are mostly interchangeable, but 'aikaa' is slightly more common in this specific idiom.

'Siitä' is sufficient to mean 'since then' in this existential structure. 'Siitä asti' is used more for continuous actions (e.g., 'Olen asunut täällä siitä asti').

Frases relacionadas

🔄

siitä on kauan

synonym

It's been a long time.

🔗

viime kerrasta on aikaa

similar

It's been a while since the last time.

🔗

siitä on ikuisuus

specialized form

It's been an eternity.

🔗

vastahan me näimme

contrast

We just saw each other.

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