aivan

Finnish

Etymology

An instructive singular (compare ihan) of a root aiva-, from Proto-Finnic *aiva-, probably borrowed from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Háywas, or alternatively from Proto-Germanic *aiwaz (“long time”). Cognate with Votic aiva (“always”) and Estonian aiva (“always”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯ʋɑn/, [ˈɑ̝i̯ʋɑ̝n]
• Rhymes: -ɑiʋɑn
• Syllabification^(key): ai‧van

Adverb

aivan

1. very, rather, quite

   Synonyms: ihan, kovin, todella, tosi, sangen

   aivan lähellä ― very close

2. exactly, precisely, just

   Synonyms: ihan, juuri

   aivan oikein ― exactly right

   aivan kuin minä ― just like me

3. completely, totally

   Synonyms: ihan, täysin, kokonaan

   aivan väärin ― completely wrong

   aivan mahdotonta ― totally impossible

   aivan liian monta ― way too many

Usage notes

• (very): According to a traditional Standard Finnish rule, aivan is practically never used with 'large' adjectives or adverbs, e.g.

  ×aivan suuri (“large”), ×aivan pitkä (“long”), ×aivan raskas (“heavy”), ×aivan kaukana (“far”), ×aivan paljon (“much, a lot”),

  • ...but 'small' adjectives or adverbs are fine, e.g.

    aivan pieni (“small”), aivan lyhyt (“short”), aivan kevyt (“light(weight)”), aivan lähellä (“close, nearby”), aivan vähän (“a little”).

  • This tendency is quite strong in modern Finnish, but the rule is nevertheless sometimes broken in Colloquial Finnish. Also, in older texts, both can be found.
  • Furthermore, in negative sentences, both can be found, and the meaning will naturally be "not that", "not very".
  • One way to describe this tendency, as done by the Nykysuomen sanakirja, is that aivan intensifies a feature that "can be taken to an absolute limit". The property of being "small" or "short" can be taken to the absolute limit (that is, zero), but being "large" or "long" cannot.

Interjection

aivan

1. indeed!

Usage notes

Depending on the tone, this interjection can also convey sudden realization, such as when the stress is on the latter syllable (or both syllables) and when the word is pronounced somewhat slowly.

Further reading

• “aivan”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Anagrams

• aavin, avain, ivaan, ivana, naiva, vaani

Ingrian

Etymology 1

Ultimately from an Indo-European language. Cognates include Finnish aivan and Estonian aiva.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯ʋɑn/, [ˈɑi̯ʋən]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯ʋɑn/, [ˈɑi̯ʋɑn]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯ʋɑn
• Hyphenation: ai‧van

Adverb

aivan

1. completely

Synonyms

• aivon

Derived terms

• aivon

 

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯ʋɑn/, [ˈɑi̯ʋən]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈɑi̯ʋɑn/, [ˈɑi̯ʋɑn]
• Rhymes: -ɑi̯ʋɑn
• Hyphenation: ai‧van

Noun

aivan

1. genitive singular of aiva

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 7