milloin vain
/ˈmilːoi̯n ˈʋɑi̯n/word by word
The English phrase 'anytime' can be translated into Finnish as milloin vain. Wiktionary also lists milloin hyvänsä.
Meaning: at any time (adv)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| milloin vain | /ˈmilːoi̯n ˈʋɑi̯n/ (word by word) |
| milloin hyvänsä |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase milloin vain is composed of milloin (when) and vain (only/just), literally meaning 'when just'.
Which one should you use?
Milloin vain is commonly used to emphasize the lack of restriction on time, similar to the English 'anytime' in 'call me anytime'. In contrast, milloin hyvänsä is often used to express that something can happen at any time, often with a nuance of 'whenever it happens to be' or 'at any moment'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmilːoi̯n ˈʋɑi̯n/
Did you know?
- In Finnish, adding vain to a question word often creates an 'any-' word. For example, mikä vain means 'anything' and kuka vain means 'anyone'.
- Finnish uses a dedicated temporal case to handle time-related expressions. While English uses prepositions like 'at' or 'in', Finnish alters the ending of the word itself to indicate time.
- The word milloin is a contraction of the words for 'what' and 'then', specifically from the components 'mi-' and '-lloin'.
Examples in context
- Voit soittaa minulle milloin vain.Call me anytime.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use milloin vain when telling someone they can call at any time.Tatoeba #3012307 by Hautis, translation #66212 by CK
- Voin auttaa sinua milloin vain.I can help you anytime.
- Tule käymään milloin vaan!Come visit anytime!
- Voit kysyä minulta neuvoja milloin tahansa.You can ask me for advice anytime.
- Laita viestiä milloin vain haluat lähteä liikkeelle.Send a message whenever you want to start.
- Voit aina soittaa minulle, kun tarvitset apua.You can always call me when you need help.
- Voit tulla kylään milloin vain.You can come visit anytime.
- Voimme aloittaa kokouksen milloin vain.We can start the meeting anytime.
Example conversation
Anna and Juho are discussing a potential visit.
- AnnaOnko sinulla aikaa huomenna?Do you have time tomorrow?
- JuhoKyllä, voin tulla milloin vain.Yes, I can come anytime.
- AnnaHienoa, Juho, nähdään silloin!Great, Juho, see you then!
- JuhoSelvä, nähdään huomenna.Alright, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “anytime” translations and entries milloin vain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (milloin, vain) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries milloin, milloin vain, vain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
