How to use the Finnish words 'kaukana', 'kaukaa', 'kauas' and 'kauan'

These words form quite a strange group. Whatever the basic form is, perhaps kauka, it is not used anymore.

Missä? Where?

• Onko se kaukana? - Is it far away? 
• Tukholma on kauempana kuin Pietari. - Stockholm is farther away than Saint Petersburg.
• Kuka asuu kaikkein kauimpana? - Who lives the farthest away?

Mistä? From where?

• Oletko varma, että näet noin kaukaa? - Are you sure that you can see from that far away?
• Katso kauempaa. - Look from farther away.
• Kuka on tullut kauimpaa? - Who has arrived from the farthest away?

Minne? To where?

• Juokse niin kauas kuin voit! - Run as far as you can! (This historical case is actually called lative. Live and learn!)
• Menkää kauemmas. - Go further away. 
• Kuka heitti kännykän kauimmas? - Who threw the mobile phone to the farthest away?

Kuinka kauan? For how long?

Finally, these ones are strangely about time, not distance. I've noticed that  many foreigners say pitkä aika when the correct expression would be kauan. 

• Kuinka kauan minä nukuin? - How long did I sleep for?
• Ollaan ensi kerralla kauemmin! - Let's stay longer the next time. 
• Kuka on ollut kauimmin avaruudessa? - Who has spent the longest time in space?
• Kuka voi olla kauiten hengittämättä? - Who can hold their breath for the longest? (kauimmin= kauiten)

Here's how you can use pitkä aika:

• En ole nähnyt häntä pitkään aikaan. - I haven't seen him for a long time. (negative sentence)
• Oli kiva jutella pitkästä aikaa. - It was nice to talk, it had been a long time. (positive sentence)

About the author of Random Finnish Lesson: 

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please read more in www.linktr.ee/hannamannikkolahti and follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new.