kello on

Telling the Time

Level 1

Use kello on + [number] to tell the time. Finnish uses a 'half-to' system for 30-minute marks (e.g., 2:30 is 'half three').

How It Works

Telling time in Finnish is straightforward but has a few unique rules regarding half-hours and prepositions.

1. The Basic Hour
To state a full hour, use the nominative form of the number:

  • Kello on yksi. (It is one o'clock.)
  • Kello on kymmenen. (It is ten o'clock.)

2. The Half-Hour (The 'Half-To' Rule)
Unlike English 'half past,' Finnish looks forward to the next hour. Puoli means 'half.'

  • Puoli kaksi = Halfway to two (1:30).
  • Puoli yksitoista = Halfway to eleven (10:30).

3. Minutes Past and To

  • Yli (Past): Use [minutes] + yli + [hour]. Example: viisi yli kaksi (five past two / 2:05).
  • Vaille (To): Use [minutes in partitive] + vaille + [next hour]. Example: viittä vaille kolme (five to three / 2:55).

4. At a Certain Time
When something happens at a specific time, the grammar depends on whether you are using minutes. For full hours and half-hours, the number takes the ablative case ending -lta/-ltä.

  • Kello kahdelta (At two o'clock).
  • Puoli neljältä (At half past three / 3:30).

If the time includes minutes (using yli or vaille), the expression usually stays in its basic form even when meaning 'at'.

  • Tulen viisi yli kaksi. (I am coming at five past two.)

Examples (5)

  1. Kello on tasan kahdeksan.

    It is exactly eight o'clock.

    Word by Word: Clock is exactly eight.

    Use 'tasan' to emphasize that the time is exactly on the hour.

  2. Nyt on puoli viisi.

    It is half past four (4:30).

    Word by Word: Now is half five.

    Remember that 'puoli viisi' means the clock is halfway to five, which is 4:30.

  3. Kello on kymmentä vaille kaksi.

    It is ten to two (1:50).

    Word by Word: Clock is ten (partitive) lacking two.

    When using 'vaille', the minutes must be in the partitive case (kymmenen -> kymmentä).

  4. Bussi tulee viisi yli yhdeksän.

    The bus comes at five past nine (9:05).

    Word by Word: Bus comes five over nine.

    In casual speech, 'kello on' is often omitted when the context is clear.

  5. Elokuva alkaa kello kuudelta.

    The movie starts at six o'clock.

    Word by Word: Movie starts clock six-from.

    The ablative case (-lta) is used to express 'at' what time something happens.

Common Mistakes

  • Saying puoli kuusi when you mean 6:30.

    Different MeaningKello on puoli kuusi.
    Kello on puoli seitsemän.

    In Finnish, "puoli" points TOWARD the next hour. Puoli kuusi is 5:30. For 6:30, say puoli seitsemän.

  • Forgetting the partitive case with 'vaille'.

    viisi vaille kolme
    viittä vaille kolme

    The word 'vaille' (or 'vailla') requires the preceding number to be in the partitive case.

  • Using 'aika' instead of 'kello' to ask the time.

    Mikä aika on?
    Paljonko kello on?

    While 'aika' means time in a general sense, 'kello' (clock) is always used when asking for the specific time of day.

How It Connects

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kello onLevel 1Telling the Time

Learn This First

To tell the time in Finnish, you need to be familiar with the verb 'olla' (to be) in its third-person form and have a basic grasp of numbers. Understanding how to ask 'how much' is also essential for the standard question format 'Paljonko kello on?'.

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kelloolla