Bedeutung
Located at a short distance.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Finns value 'oma rauha' (own peace/privacy). Being 'lähellä' physically to a stranger at a bus stop is often avoided. However, being 'lähellä luontoa' (close to nature) is a core part of Finnish identity. In contrast to Finland, 'being close' in the US often involves more physical touch and smaller personal bubbles in social settings. Proximity in Japan is often dictated by social hierarchy. Being 'close' to a superior has different linguistic rules than being close to a peer. In countries like Italy or Greece, 'olla lähellä' is often accompanied by expressive gestures and less physical distance than in Northern Europe.
The Genitive Rule
Always put the noun before 'lähellä' in the -n form. It's the most common mistake for beginners!
Personal Space
Remember that 'lähellä' in a physical sense with strangers can be sensitive in Finland. Keep your distance!
Bedeutung
Located at a short distance.
The Genitive Rule
Always put the noun before 'lähellä' in the -n form. It's the most common mistake for beginners!
Personal Space
Remember that 'lähellä' in a physical sense with strangers can be sensitive in Finland. Keep your distance!
Temporal Use
Use 'lähellä' to sound more natural when talking about deadlines instead of just saying 'pian' (soon).
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the correct case.
Koulu on ______ (koti) lähellä.
The word 'koti' must be in the genitive case 'kodin' before 'lähellä'.
Which sentence means 'I am close to you'?
Valitse oikea lause:
The possessive suffix '-si' is added to 'lähellä' to mean 'near you'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Siskoni on minulle hyvin lähellä.
This sentence expresses emotional closeness to a sibling.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Missä posti on? B: Se on ______ lähellä.
Again, the genitive case 'pankin' is required.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Distance in Finnish
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenKoulu on ______ (koti) lähellä.
The word 'koti' must be in the genitive case 'kodin' before 'lähellä'.
Valitse oikea lause:
The possessive suffix '-si' is added to 'lähellä' to mean 'near you'.
Siskoni on minulle hyvin lähellä.
This sentence expresses emotional closeness to a sibling.
A: Missä posti on? B: Se on ______ lähellä.
Again, the genitive case 'pankin' is required.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes! You can say 'Joulu on lähellä' (Christmas is near).
'Lähellä' is more specific (near), while 'lähistöllä' is more general (in the area).
No, Finnish doesn't use prepositions like 'near to'. It uses the genitive case of the noun.
Use 'lähelläni'. The '-ni' is the possessive suffix for 'my'.
It is neutral and can be used in any situation.
Only for states of being, not for actions. Use 'melkein' for 'almost'.
The opposite is 'kaukana' (far).
No, 'lähellä' is an adverb and stays the same.
Yes, 'Se oli lähellä!' can mean 'That was a close one!'
Hold the 'l' sound for twice as long as a single 'l'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
läheinen ystävä
specialized formA close friend
lähestyä
builds onTo approach
lähistöllä
similarIn the vicinity
olla kaukana
contrastTo be far away
