siitä asti
Lemma: siitä asti
Translation: since then; ever since; from that time on; from that point onward (adverbial phrase)
Etymology: This adverbial phrase combines two Finnish words: 'siitä' (from the demonstrative pronoun 'se' meaning 'it/that' in the elative case) and 'asti' (a postposition indicating a starting point in time or space). Together they form a temporal expression indicating continuation from a specific point in the past until the present.
Example Usage
Mnemonics
- Think of 'siitä' as 'since it' and 'asti' as 'started' to remember 'since it started' or 'since then'
- The 'asti' part sounds a bit like 'lasting' in English, which can help remember that it refers to something continuing from a point in the past
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This is a very common temporal expression in Finnish used in both spoken and written language. It's essential for constructing narratives about past events that continue to have relevance in the present.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'siitä asti' means 'since then' (from a past point until now), 'siihen asti' means 'until then' (up to a specific point in time).
This word:
Olen asunut täällä siitä asti, kun muutin Suomeen.
I have lived here since I moved to Finland.
Confused word:
Asuin Ruotsissa siihen asti, kunnes muutin Suomeen.
I lived in Sweden until I moved to Finland.
Notes: The difference is in the case: 'siitä' is in the elative case (from), while 'siihen' is in the illative case (to).
Mnemonic: Remember: 'siitä' (from that point) vs. 'siihen' (to that point)
Explanation: While 'siitä asti' refers to time ('since then'), 'siitä huolimatta' means 'despite that' or 'nevertheless'.
Confused word:
Satoi kovasti, mutta siitä huolimatta lähdimme kävelylle.
It was raining heavily, but despite that, we went for a walk.
Notes: These phrases have completely different meanings and functions in a sentence.
Mnemonic: 'Huolimatta' contains 'huoli' (worry/concern), so 'siitä huolimatta' means 'not worrying about that' or 'despite that'