This is the 453rd most frequent Finnish word.
alan
"Alan" in Finnish means "I begin" or "I start" (first person singular present tense of the verb "alkaa").
In this sentence, 'alan' is the first person singular form of the verb 'alkaa,' meaning 'to begin.' It conveys the idea of initiating an action, in this case, studying.
Minä alan opiskella suomea.
I am starting to study Finnish.
In this construction, 'alan' modifies 'kirja' (book), functioning as an adjective formed from the noun 'ala.' It describes the specialization or subject focus of the book.
Löysin uuden kirjallisuuden alan kirjan.
I found a new book in the field of literature.
In this context, 'alan' refers to 'industry' or 'field', meaning the working sector.