The full List of the 1000 Most Common Finnish Vocabulary Words

We produced this list of the most common Finnish vocabulary words through a rigorous statistical analysis of a large collection of Finnish-language documents such as news articles and other content available on the web.

Finnish is a highly inflected language in which the endings of words change according to their grammatical case when they are used in a sentence. Therefore we converted the words to their dictionary form, before counting them and sorting them by frequency.

In contrast to some of the other available frequency lists which are simply created by translating the most common English words into Finnish, this list is the result of actually counting the occurrences of vocabulary words in Finnish-language texts.

Finnish belongs to the Uralic family of languages together with Estonian and Hungarian. It is closely related to Estonian but much more distantly related to Hungarian. Being an Uralic language sets Finnish apart from most of the languages spoken in Europe as many of these are Indo-European languages.

A distinctive feature of Finnish and the other Uralic languages is the absence of grammatical gender. For instance, the English pronouns he and she both translate to same Finnish pronoun hän.

Another characteristic of the Finnish language is the use of derivational suffixes to produce vocabulary words from a common stem. For example, in the vocabulary list below you will encounter the words kirjoittaja (writer), kirjasto (library) and kirjoittaa (to write) which are all related to the word kirja (book).

List of the most common Finnish vocabulary words

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olla

[verb]

(to be)

This verb is the most frequently-used Finnish word and depending on how it is used, it can generally be translated as “to be” or “to have”. For example, when used as a copular verb, it translates to the English verb “to be”. When used as an auxiliary verb to construct the present perfect tense as well as other verb tenses, it corresponds to the English verb “to have”.
ja

[conjunction]

(and)
se

[pronoun]

(it)

Finnish is a language without definite and indefinite articles (those are the words “the”, “a”, “an” in English), therefore demonstrative pronouns such as se, tämä and tuo are frequently used instead.
ei

[verb]

This is an auxiliary verb which is used to form the negatives of other verbs.
joka

[pronoun]

(which)

In Finnish, the word joka is a relative pronoun which refers to the preceding word in the sentence.
että

[conjunction]

(that)
tämä

[pronoun]

(this)
voida

[verb]

(can)

When used as an auxiliary verb, voida can be translated as “may” or “can”. When used as an intransitive verb, it can correspond to the English verb “to be”.
vuosi

[noun]

(year)
hän

[pronoun]

(he, she)

Finnish is what linguists call a genderless language, because of the absence of grammatical gender distinctions. The Finnish pronoun hän corresponds to both the English pronouns he and she.
myös

[adverb]

(also)
saada

[verb]

(to get)
tai

[conjunction]

(or)
tulla

[verb]

(to become)
kun

[conjunction]

(when)
mutta

[conjunction]

(but)
aika

[noun]

(time)
Suomi

[proper noun]

(Finland)
tehdä

[verb]

(to make)
kuin

[conjunction]

(than)
mikä

[pronoun]

(what)

In Finnish, the word mikä can be used either as a relative pronoun or as an interrogative pronoun.
sekä

[conjunction]

(and)
kaikki

[pronoun]

(everything)
mukaan

[adverb]
jos

[conjunction]

(if)
niin

[adverb]

(so)
pitää

[verb]

(to keep)
muu

[pronoun]

(other)
uusi

[adjective]

(new)
minä

[pronoun]

(I)
jo

[adverb]

(already)
oma

[adjective]

(own)
hyvä

[adjective]

(good)
nyt

[adverb]

(now)
vain

[adverb]

(only)
asia

[noun]

(thing)
toinen

[pronoun]

(another)
kanssa

[postposition]

(with)
osa

[noun]

(part)
suuri

[adjective]

(large)
ihminen

[noun]

(man)
vielä

[adverb]

(yet)
jälkeen

[noun]

(after)
käyttää

[verb]

(to use)
kertoa

[verb]

(to tell)
ottaa

[verb]

(to take)
itse

[pronoun]

(oneself)
antaa

[verb]

(to give)
hyvin

[adverb]

(very)
yksi

[numeral]

(one)
kaksi

[numeral]

(two)
euro

[noun]

(euro)
työ

[noun]

(work)
sanoa

[verb]

(to say)
sitten

[adverb]

(then)
lisäksi

[adverb]

(in addition)
sama

[pronoun]

(same)
toimia

[verb]

(act)
koko

[adjective]

(entire)
maa

[noun]

(land)
kuitenkin

[adverb]

(however)
noin

[adverb]

(about)
lapsi

[noun]

(child)
tieto

[noun]

(knowledge)

The word “tieto” refers to knowledge or information, and it is derived from the Finnish verb “tietää”, which means “to know”. In Finnish culture, knowledge and education are highly valued, and pursuing knowledge is seen as a way to improve oneself and contribute to society. The Finnish education system is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, and it emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, problem-solving, and lifelong learning.
vaikka

[conjunction]

(although)
haluta

[verb]

(to want)
alkaa

[verb]

(start)
Helsinki

[proper noun]

Helsinki is the capital of Finland
ennen

[preposition]

(before)
moni

[pronoun]

(many)
mikään

[pronoun]

(any)
ensimmäinen

[adjective]

(first)
alue

[noun]

(area)
paljon

[adverb]

(a lot)
vaan

[conjunction]

(but)
päivä

[noun]

(day)
jokin

[pronoun]

(one)
eli

[conjunction]

(or)
eri

[adjective]

(different)
suomalainen

[adjective]

(finnish)
viime

[adjective]

(last)
toiminta

[noun]

(action)
käyttö

[noun]

(use)
koska

[conjunction]

(because)
yli

[adverb]
tarvita

[verb]

(to need)
kuulua

[verb]
käydä

[verb]

(to visit)
mieli

[noun]

(mind)
aina

[adverb]

(always)
kaupunki

[noun]

(city)
jäädä

[verb]

(to stay)
esimerkiksi

[adverb]

(for example)
prosentti

[noun]

(percentage)
kunta

[noun]

(municipality)
liittyä

[verb]
maksaa

[verb]

(to pay)
mennä

[verb]

(go)
päästä

[verb]
mies

[noun]

(man)
yritys

[noun]

(company)
paikka

[noun]

(place)
tapa

[noun]

(custom)
kolme

[numeral]

(three)
kuva

[noun]

(picture)
maailma

[noun]

(world)

This is a compound of the words maa (“earth”) and ilma (“air”).
nähdä

[verb]

(to see)
löytyä

[verb]
näin

[adverb]

(thus)
hallitus

[noun]

(government)
puoli

[noun]

(half)
pieni

[adjective]

(small)
sinä

[pronoun]

(you)
kuten

[adverb]

(as)
enemmän

[adverb]

(more)
miten

[adverb]

(how)
katsoa

[verb]

(to look)
vasta

[adverb]

(only)
nuori

[adjective]

(young)
viesti

[noun]

(message)
auto

[noun]

(car)
klo

[noun]
yhteys

[noun]

(connection)
sillä

[conjunction]

(for)
määrä

[noun]

(amount)
miljoona

[numeral]

(million)
hinta

[noun]

(price)
esittää

[verb]

(present)
tärkeä

[adjective]

(important)
viikko

[noun]

(week)
syy

[noun]
raha

[noun]

(money)
koulu

[noun]

(school)
nainen

[noun]

(woman)
seuraava

[adjective]

(next)
mahdollisuus

[noun]
apu

[noun]

(help)
kerta

[noun]

(time)
juuri

[adverb]

(just)
tilanne

[noun]

(situation)
kyllä

[adverb]
vastata

[verb]

(to answer)
vanha

[adjective]

(old)
tulos

[noun]

(result)
alku

[noun]

(beginning)
tutkimus

[noun]

(research)
elämä

[noun]

(life)
joutua

[verb]

(to get)
Venäjä

[proper noun]

(Russia)
enää

[adverb]

(any more)
lisätä

[verb]

(to add)
tavoite

[noun]

(target)
nousta

[verb]

(to rise)
palvelu

[noun]

(service)
mahdollinen

[adjective]

(possible)
kautta

[preposition]

(through)
loppu

[noun]

(end)
yhtiö

[noun]

(company)
mukana

[adverb]

(with)
päättää

[verb]

(to decide)
taas

[adverb]

(again)
valtio

[noun]

(state)
tehtävä

[noun]

(mission)
järjestää

[verb]

(to arrange)
usea

[adjective]

(many)
lähteä

[verb]

(go)
valita

[verb]

(to choose)
vaatia

[verb]

(to demand)
Eurooppa

[proper noun]
päätös

[noun]

(decision)
ilman

[preposition]

(without)
jopa

[adverb]

(even)
tapahtua

[verb]

(to happen)
erilainen

[adjective]

(different)
sellainen

[adjective]

(such)
ongelma

[noun]

(problem)
kannattaa

[verb]
tila

[noun]

(state)
koskea

[verb]

(concern)
lukea

[verb]

(to read)
tietää

[verb]

(to know)
näyttää

[verb]

(to show)
henkilö

[noun]

(person)
nimi

[noun]

(name)
asiaton

[adjective]

(inappropriate, irrelevant)

The Finnish word “asiaton” is frequently used because it is a common adjective that means “inappropriate” or “irrelevant”. It is often used to describe behavior, comments, or actions that are considered inappropriate or out of place in a particular context. For example, in a formal business meeting, a comment or question unrelated to the topic might be described as “asiaton”. In addition, disrespectful or offensive behavior might also be described as “asiaton”.
siis

[adverb]

(therefore)
vaikuttaa

[verb]

(to influence)
lähes

[adverb]

(nearly)
saattaa

[verb]

(walk)
kasvaa

[verb]

(to grow)
tuoda

[verb]

(to bring)
tarkoittaa

[verb]

(to mean)
joten

[adverb]

(so)
todeta

[verb]

(note)
vastaan

[adverb]
jokainen

[pronoun]

(everyone)
ohjelma

[noun]

(program)
joku

[pronoun]

(someone)
lisää

[adverb]

(more)
muutama

[pronoun]

(a few)
ihan

[adverb]

(quite)
syntyä

[verb]

(to be born)
usein

[adverb]

(often)
oy

[noun]

(Ltd)
muutos

[noun]

(change)
koulutus

[noun]

(training)
peruste

[noun]
silloin

[adverb]

(then)
edelleen

[adverb]

(still)
kohta

[noun]

(part, spot)
aloittaa

[verb]

(to start)
opiskelija

[noun]

(student)
tuo

[pronoun]

(that)
pois

[adverb]

(off)
ainakin

[adverb]

(at least)
tarjota

[verb]

(to offer)
jäsen

[noun]

(member)
kysymys

[noun]

(question)
talous

[noun]

(economy)
edes

[adverb]

(at least)
kurssi

[noun]

(course)
kanta

[noun]

(base)
hetki

[noun]

(moment)
yliopisto

[noun]

(university)
aivan

[adverb]

(very)
oikea

[adjective]

(right)
yhteistyö

[noun]

(cooperation)

This Finnish compound is formed from the words yhteinen (“common” or “joint”) and työ (“work”).
ensi

[adjective]

(next)
aiheuttaa

[verb]

(to cause)
viimeinen

[adjective]

(last)
puhua

[verb]

(to talk)
jättää

[verb]

(to leave)
huomio

[noun]

(attention)
kirjoittaa

[verb]

(to write)
nykyinen

[adjective]

(current)
pystyä

[verb]

(to can)
vähän

[adverb]

(a little)
laskea

[verb]

(drop)
neljä

[numeral]

(four)
poliisi

[noun]

(police)
osallistua

[verb]

(participate)
kuinka

[adverb]

(how)
puheenjohtaja

[noun]

(chairman)

The Finnish word “puheenjohtaja” is a compound word made up of “puheen” meaning “of speech” and “johtaja” meaning “leader”. Together, the word “puheenjohtaja” refers to the person who leads or presides over a meeting or discussion, usually in a formal setting.
uskoa

[verb]

(to believe)
yleensä

[adverb]

(usually)
tuote

[noun]

(product)
tarkoitus

[noun]

(meaning)
pitkä

[adjective]

(long)
vuoksi

[postposition]

(because of)
jolloin

[adverb]

(when)
matka

[noun]

(trip)
siellä

[adverb]

(there)
rakentaa

[verb]

(to build)
kirja

[noun]

(book)
ostaa

[verb]

(to buy)
tapaus

[noun]

(case)
muuttaa

[verb]

(change)
varten

[postposition]

(for)
entinen

[adjective]

(former)
käytäntö

[noun]

(practice)
arvioida

[verb]

(to estimate)
muassa

[postposition]

(along with)
muun

[pronoun]
kuukausi

[noun]

(month)

This Finnish word is a combination of the words kuu (“moon”) and kausi (“phase”).
ryhmä

[noun]

(group)
kokous

[noun]

(meeting)
ilmoittaa

[verb]

(notify)
kausi

[noun]

(season)
ottelu

[noun]

(match)
kansainvälinen

[adjective]

(international)
taso

[noun]

(level)
ala

[noun]

(area)
välillä

[noun]
jotta

[conjunction]

(so that)
johtaa

[verb]

(to lead)
erityisesti

[adverb]

(especially)
ajaa

[verb]

(to drive)

“Ajaa” is a frequently used Finnish word because it is a versatile verb with multiple meanings. One of the most common meanings of “ajaa” is “to drive”, as in operating a vehicle. However, “ajaa” can also be used in other contexts. For example, it can mean “to pursue” or “to chase” in a metaphorical sense.
hyväksyä

[verb]

(to accept)
oikeus

[noun]

(right)
kehitys

[noun]

(development)
iso

[adjective]

(big)
samalla

[adverb]

(at the same time)
riittää

[verb]

(do)
liian

[adverb]

(too)
Ruotsi

[proper noun]

(Sweden)
odottaa

[verb]

(expect)
tunti

[noun]

(hour)
ehkä

[adverb]

(perhaps)
alle

[adverb]
jatkaa

[verb]

(to continue)
yhteinen

[adjective]

(common)
todella

[adverb]

(really)
pari

[noun]

(pair)
sopimus

[noun]

(agreement)
kuitenkaan

[adverb]
miksi

[adverb]

(why)
kyse

[noun]

(matter)
viisi

[numeral]

(five)
kerran

[adverb]

(once)
muuttua

[verb]

(alter)
kesä

[noun]

(summer)
joukkue

[noun]

(team)
maali

[noun]

(paint)
kehittää

[verb]

(to develop)
pyrkiä

[verb]

(to strive)
yhdessä

[adverb]

(together)
tapahtuma

[noun]

(event)
sopia

[verb]
sivu

[noun]

(page)
joukko

[noun]

(troops)
vesi

[noun]

(water)
työntekijä

[noun]

(worker)
tuottaa

[verb]

(to produce)
mikäli

[conjunction]

(if)
vaikutus

[noun]

(effect)
jatkua

[verb]

(to continue)
peli

[noun]

(game)
kulua

[verb]
näkyä

[verb]

(to be visible)
heti

[adverb]

(immediately)
perustua

[verb]
kehittäminen

[noun]
seurata

[verb]

(to follow)
toteuttaa

[verb]

(implement)
viedä

[verb]

(to take)
suorittaa

[verb]

(run)
vaikea

[adjective]

(difficult)
nostaa

[verb]

(to lift)
kasvu

[noun]

(growth)
yrittää

[verb]

(to try)
vai

[conjunction]

(or)
erittäin

[adverb]

(very)
käyttäjä

[noun]

(user)

The Finnish word käyttäjä is constructed by adding the suffix -jä to the verb käyttää which means “to use”. In Finnish, the suffixes -jä and -ja are used to create agents from verbs. In the context of technology, “käyttäjä” refers to a person who is using a computer program, website, or other digital device. For example, “käyttäjänimi” means “username” and “käyttäjätunnus” means “user ID”.
asunto

[noun]
opettaja

[noun]

(teacher)
hoito

[noun]

(care)
hieman

[adverb]

(slightly)
Oulu

[proper noun]

Oulu is the name of a city in Finland.
keskustelu

[noun]

(conversation)
löytää

[verb]

(to find)
tänään

[adverb]

(today)

This word is similar to the Estonian word täna. For more similar words, see this comparison of Estonian and Finnish.
asti

[postposition]

(until)
korkea

[adjective]

(high)
edellinen

[adjective]

(previous)
täysin

[adverb]

(completely)
voittaa

[verb]

(to win)
siten

[adverb]

(thus)
osoittaa

[verb]
muuten

[adverb]

(otherwise)
tällainen

[adjective]
julkinen

[adjective]

(public)
takia

[postposition]

(because of)
yhä

[adverb]

(still)
sisältää

[verb]

(to contain)
pelata

[verb]
hakea

[verb]

(fetch)
perhe

[noun]

(family)
valmis

[adjective]

(ready)
tie

[noun]

(road)
laki

[noun]

(law)
asiakas

[noun]

(customer)
tukea

[verb]

(to support)
ratkaisu

[noun]

(solution)
tulevaisuus

[noun]

(future)
syksy

[noun]

(autumn)
keskusta

[noun]

(center)
sijaita

[verb]

(be located)
helppo

[adjective]

(easy)
Saksa

[proper noun]

(Germany)
merkitys

[noun]

(importance)
kukaan

[pronoun]

(anyone)
yleinen

[adjective]

(general)
kulttuuri

[noun]

(culture)
kolmas

[adjective]

(third)
yhtä

[adverb]

(equally)
johtaja

[noun]

(manager)
välinen

[adjective]
arvo

[noun]

(value)
talo

[noun]

(house)
myydä

[verb]

(to sell)
ymmärtää

[verb]

(understand)
yhteensä

[adverb]

(together)
käsitellä

[verb]

(deal with)
kymmenen

[numeral]

(ten)
siksi

[adverb]

(consequently)
hanke

[noun]

(project)
tuntua

[verb]
julkaista

[verb]

(to publish)
Turku

[proper noun]

Turku is the name of a city in Finland.
kokemus

[noun]

(experience)
jakaa

[verb]

(to share)
mennessä

[postposition]

(by)
Yhdysvallat

[proper noun]

(United-States)
nopeasti

[adverb]

(quickly)
pankki

[noun]

(bank)
kansa

[noun]
hoitaa

[verb]
kova

[adjective]

(hard)
kieli

[noun]

(language)
asema

[noun]

(status)
esitys

[noun]

(presentation)
kello

[noun]

(clock)
auttaa

[verb]

(to help)
pää

[noun]

(head)
lähettää

[verb]

(to send)
suoraan

[adverb]

(directly)
osata

[verb]

(to know)
sana

[noun]

(word)
miljardi

[numeral]

(billion)
tuki

[noun]

(support)
siirtyä

[verb]

(to move)
onnistua

[verb]

(succeed)
osuus

[noun]

(share)
perustaa

[verb]

(to establish)
kirkko

[noun]

(church)
rakentaminen

[noun]

(construction)
vaihe

[noun]

(stage)
aiemmin

[adverb]

(previously)
täällä

[adverb]

(here)
kestää

[verb]

(take)
asua

[verb]

(to live)
sijaan

[noun]
Kreikka

[proper noun]

(Greece)
lehti

[noun]

(leaf)

“Lehti” is a Finnish word that means “a leaf” or “a paper” in English. However, it is more commonly used to refer to a “newspaper” or “magazine”.
luoda

[verb]

(to create)
oikein

[adverb]

(correctly)
kauppa

[noun]

(trade)
myynti

[noun]

(sales)
pohja

[noun]

(bottom)
pysyä

[verb]

(to stay)
mukainen

[adjective]
ero

[noun]

(difference)
liitto

[noun]

(union)
voitto

[noun]

(profit)
myöntää

[verb]

(admit)
käsi

[noun]

(hand)
Tampere

[proper noun]

Tampere is the name of a city in Finland.
koskaan

[adverb]

(ever)
suunnitella

[verb]

(to design)
mainita

[verb]

(to mention)
edellyttää

[verb]

(to require)
vähintään

[adverb]

(at least)
historia

[noun]

(history)
rakennus

[noun]

(building)
mukaisesti

[adverb]

(in accordance with)
laittaa

[verb]

(to put)
selvittää

[verb]
lauantai

[noun]

(Saturday)
kilpailu

[noun]

(competition)
Jumala

[proper noun]

(God)
tuleva

[adjective]

(future)
kustannus

[noun]

(publishing)
koti

[noun]

(home)
projekti

[noun]

(project)
yhteiskunta

[noun]

(society)

yhteiskunta is a compound word formed from yhteinen (“common”) and kunta (“community”).
asettaa

[verb]

(set)
malli

[noun]

(model)
Nokia

[proper noun]
johto

[noun]

(management)
myöhemmin

[adverb]

(later)
tuntea

[verb]

(to feel)
joskus

[adverb]

(sometimes)
markka

[noun]

(mark)
ympäristö

[noun]

(environment)
merkittävä

[adjective]

(significant)
läpi

[adverb]

(through)
ainoa

[adjective]

(only)
muistaa

[verb]

(to remember)
aihe

[noun]

(subject)
edustaja

[noun]

(representative)
seura

[noun]

(company)
tarve

[noun]

(need)
elää

[verb]

(to live)
huono

[adjective]

(bad)
suhde

[noun]

(ratio)
suunta

[noun]

(direction)
takaisin

[adverb]

(back)
joko

[adverb]
metri

[noun]

(meter)
järjestelmä

[noun]

(system)
silti

[adverb]

(still)
sisältö

[noun]

(contents)
raja

[noun]

(limit)
varmasti

[adverb]

(certainly)
verran

[noun]
ensin

[adverb]

(first)
mk

[noun]
vaihtoehto

[noun]

(option)
opetus

[noun]

(teaching)
puolue

[noun]

(party)
johtua

[verb]
kiinni

[adverb]

(closed)
helposti

[adverb]

(easily)
palkka

[noun]

(pay)
työpaikka

[noun]
tekijä

[noun]

(author)
päättyä

[verb]

(to end)
sunnuntai

[noun]

(Sunday)
etu

[noun]

(advantage)
tekeminen

[noun]

(making)
perjantai

[noun]

(Friday)
täyttää

[verb]

(to fill)
kuusi

[numeral]

(six)
juttu

[noun]
keskeinen

[adjective]

(pivotal)
musiikki

[noun]

(music)
ääni

[noun]

(sound)
taloudellinen

[adjective]

(economic)
toisaalta

[adverb]

(on the other hand)
minuutti

[noun]

(minute)
erityinen

[adjective]

(special)
selvästi

[adverb]

(clearly)
toimi

[noun]

(action)
toimittaa

[verb]

(deliver)
kokea

[verb]

(to experience)
laitos

[noun]

(institution)
pyytää

[verb]

(to request)
sarja

[noun]

(series)
ilta

[noun]

(evening)
laaja

[adjective]

(wide)
huolimatta

[postposition]

(despite)
vastaa

[verb]
vastuu

[noun]

(responsibility)
paikallinen

[adjective]

(local)
kevät

[noun]

(spring)
kysyä

[verb]

(to ask)
poika

[noun]

(son)
alkaen

[adverb]
esiintyä

[verb]
elokuva

[noun]

(movie)

This Finnish word is a combination of the word “elo” which means “life” and the word “kuva” which means “picture”.
presidentti

[noun]

(president)
tutkia

[verb]
tosin

[adverb]

(although)
suunnittelu

[noun]

(design)
sata

[numeral]

(hundred)
jatko

[noun]
tekninen

[adjective]

(technical)
kuulla

[verb]

(to hear)
ehdotus

[noun]

(proposal)
äiti

[noun]

(mother)
ulkomaa

[noun]

(abroad)

This Finnish noun is formed by adding the prefix “ulko-” meaning “outer”, or “external” to the noun « maa » meaning “country”.
asukas

[noun]

(resident)
muoto

[noun]

(form)
verrata

[verb]

(to compare)
vara

[noun]
kovin

[adverb]
merkitä

[verb]

(to subscribe)
ruoka

[noun]

(food)
no

[interjection]
selvä

[adjective]

(clear)
ajatella

[verb]

(to think)
toimitusjohtaja

[noun]

(managing director)
kulkea

[verb]
todellinen

[adjective]

(real)
päälle

[noun]
esitellä

[verb]

(to introduce)
vapaa

[adjective]

(free)
kuvata

[verb]

(to describe)
kohde

[noun]

(target)
tutustua

[verb]

(to meet)
kuolla

[verb]

(to die)
vero

[noun]

(tax)
valmistaa

[verb]

(prepare)
kilometri

[noun]

(kilometer)
liikenne

[noun]

(traffic)
markkinat

[noun]

(fair)
isä

[noun]

(father)
kuka

[pronoun]

(who)
etsiä

[verb]

(to search)
samoin

[adverb]

(likewise)
huomata

[verb]

(note)
poliittinen

[adjective]

(political)
ajatus

[noun]

(thought)
luokka

[noun]

(class)
henki

[noun]

(spirit)

“Henki” is a Finnish word that means “spirit”, “breath” or “life” in English. It is a common word in Finnish because it is a concept that is deeply ingrained in the Finnish culture and language. In Finnish culture, “henki” is often associated with nature and the idea of a life force that animates all living things. It is also closely linked to the “sisu" notion, a uniquely Finnish concept that refers to inner strength and resilience.
yksityinen

[adjective]

(private)
kohti

[preposition]

(towards)
kansalainen

[noun]

(citizen)
laatu

[noun]

(quality)
alla

[adverb]

(below)
saakka

[postposition]

(until)
kunto

[noun]

(condition)
toimittaja

[noun]

(supplier)
pelaaja

[noun]

(player)
nousu

[noun]

(rise)
kone

[noun]

(machine)
avata

[verb]

(to open)
laatia

[verb]
koira

[noun]

(dog)
osasto

[noun]

(department)
tavallinen

[adjective]

(usual)
käsittely

[noun]

(handling)
myötä

[adverb]
vahva

[adjective]

(strong)
lasku

[noun]

(decrease)
siirtää

[verb]

(to transfer)
kirjasto

[noun]

(library)
vahvistaa

[verb]

(confirm)
jälleen

[adverb]

(again)
sota

[noun]

(war)
voima

[noun]

(force)
varsin

[adverb]

(quite)
tiistai

[noun]

(Tuesday)
tuotanto

[noun]

(production)
suunnitelma

[noun]

(plan)
omistaa

[verb]

(to own)
lähinnä

[adverb]

(mostly)
vähentää

[verb]

(reduce)
kutsua

[verb]

(to invite)
varsinkin

[adverb]

(especially)
aikoa

[verb]
varsinainen

[adjective]

(actual)
täytyä

[verb]
velka

[noun]

(debt)
piste

[noun]

(point)
kerätä

[verb]

(to collect)
tuttu

[adjective]

(familiar)
maanantai

[noun]

(monday)
puuttua

[verb]

(to intervene)
sosiaalinen

[adjective]

(social)
teksti

[noun]

(text)
eniten

[adverb]

(the most)
kokonaan

[adverb]

(fully)
tutkija

[noun]

(researcher)
mahdollisimman

[adjective]
paha

[adjective]

(evil)
tahansa

[adverb]
sinne

[adverb]

(there)
yhdistys

[noun]

(association)
muodostaa

[verb]
selvitys

[noun]
lähtien

[postposition]

(since)
silmä

[noun]

(eye)
tällöin

[adverb]
puolestaan

[adverb]
vähemmän

[adverb]

(less)
lääkäri

[noun]

(doctor)
vastaus

[noun]

(answer)
keino

[noun]

(means)
eräs

[pronoun]

(one)
puolesta

[adjective]
kappale

[noun]

(piece)
luonto

[noun]

(nature)

“Luonto” is a Finnish word that means “nature” in English. It is a common word in Finnish because Finland has a rich and diverse natural environment, and nature is highly valued in Finnish culture. Finland is known for its vast forests, numerous lakes, and rugged landscapes. Finnish people have a strong connection to nature, and it is a common theme in Finnish literature, art, and music. The Finnish concept of “sisu” also emphasizes the importance of endurance and resilience, qualities that can be found in the natural world.
ainoastaan

[adverb]

(only)
tulo

[noun]

(product)
riittävä

[adjective]

(sufficient)
lopulta

[adverb]

(eventually)
valmistua

[verb]
parantaa

[verb]

(to improve)
torstai

[noun]

(Thursday)
oppilas

[noun]

(pupil)
toivoa

[verb]

(wish)
uudelleen

[adverb]

(again)
pitkään

[adverb]
perinteinen

[adjective]

(traditional)
pian

[adverb]

(soon)
ehtiä

[verb]
muistuttaa

[verb]
paitsi

[adverb]

(except)
keskiviikko

[noun]

(wednesday)
laite

[noun]

(device)
media

[noun]

(media)
edellä

[adverb]

(above)
edustaa

[verb]

(to represent)
valo

[noun]

(light)
Antti

[proper noun]

“Antti” is one of the most common Finnish male names. It is covered in this guide to Finnish male names.
varmaan

[adverb]

(probably)
palata

[verb]

(to return)
poistaa

[verb]

(to remove)
toki

[adverb]

(sure)
Joensuu

[proper noun]

This is the name of a city in Finland.
vastaava

[adjective]
miettiä

[verb]
noudattaa

[verb]

(follow)
Ranska

[proper noun]

(France)
maksu

[noun]

(payment)
erä

[noun]

(batch)
kisa

[noun]

(competition)
politiikka

[noun]

(policy)
ohje

[noun]

(instruction)
kesken

[preposition]
Kiina

[proper noun]
rooli

[noun]

(role)
vetää

[verb]

(to pull)
edessä

[postposition]

(in front of)
toukokuu

[noun]

(may)
teos

[noun]

(work)
vaatimus

[noun]

(requirement)
lisääntyä

[verb]

(to increase)
asiantuntija

[noun]

(expert)

“Asiantuntija” is a Finnish word that translates to “expert” or “specialist” in English. It is a common word in Finnish because Finnish people place a high value on education and expertise, and there is a strong emphasis on knowledge and skill in Finnish society. Finland has a well-developed education system, and as a result, there are many experts and specialists in various fields in Finland. The word “asiantuntija” is frequently used to refer to these individuals.
tilaisuus

[noun]

(opportunity)
Juha

[proper noun]

Juha is a Finnish male name.
Matti

[proper noun]

Matti is a common Finnish male name. It is covered in this guide to Finnish boy names.
merkki

[noun]

(mark)
syödä

[verb]

(to eat)
maaliskuu

[noun]

(march)
valtuusto

[noun]

(council)
puu

[noun]

(tree, wood)

“Puu” is a Finnish word that translates to “tree” or “wood” in English. It is a common word in Finnish because Forests cover around 70% of Finland’s land area, and the country is known for its vast forests of coniferous trees such as spruce and pine. The Finnish forest industry significantly contributes to the country’s economy, and wood products are a major export. In addition, trees have played an important role in Finnish mythology and folklore, and many traditional Finnish crafts and practices, such as wood carving and sauna building, involve the use of wood.
yö

[noun]

(night)

This word is similar to the Estonian word öö which also means “night”. These two languages belong to the same linguistic family: the Uralic languages. For more on this, see this comparison of Finnish and Estonian.
keskittyä

[verb]

(to to concentrate)
työnantaja

[noun]

(employer)

“Työnantaja” is a Finnish word that refers to an employer (someone who provides work to others). The term comprises two parts: “työ” and “antaja”. The first part, “työ”, means “work” and the second part, “antaja”, means “giver” or “provider”. So when you put the two parts together, “työnantaja” means “work provider” or “employer”.
esimerkki

[noun]

(example)
omistaja

[noun]

(owner)
turha

[adjective]

(useless)
myöskään

[adverb]
kukin

[pronoun]

(each)
seuraus

[noun]

(consequence)
vaihtaa

[verb]

(to change)
takana

[adverb]

(behind)
saapua

[verb]

(to arrive)
estää

[verb]

(to prevent)
piiri

[noun]
kyseinen

[adjective]
etenkin

[adverb]

(especially)
ansio

[noun]

(merit, income)
yleisö

[noun]

(audience)
Timo

[proper noun]

Timo is a Finnish male name. It corresponds to the English name Timothy.
laji

[noun]

(species)
metsä

[noun]

(forest)
nopea

[adjective]

(fast)
Pekka

[proper noun]

Pekka is a Finnish male name.
valinta

[noun]

(selection)
liikkua

[verb]

(to move)
soittaa

[verb]

(call)
sairaala

[noun]

(hospital)
numero

[noun]

(number)
lopettaa

[verb]

(to stop)
tausta

[noun]

(background)
hankkia

[verb]

(to acquire)
aikuinen

[noun]

(adult)
vuosittain

[adverb]

(annually)
huhtikuu

[noun]

(April)
nykyään

[adverb]

(today)
aikaisemmin

[adverb]

(earlier)
sisällä

[adverb]

(indoors)
kirjoittaja

[noun]

(writer)
Ukraina

[proper noun]

(Ukraine)
saavuttaa

[verb]

(to reach)
tietty

[adjective]

(certain)
rahoitus

[noun]

(funding)
anonyymi

[adjective]

(anonymous)
näkökulma

[noun]

(perspective)

“Näkökulma” is a Finnish word that refers to a perspective or point of view. The term is composed of two parts: “näkö” and “kulma”. The first part, “näkö”, means “vision”, and the second part, “kulma”, means “angle”. So when you put the two parts together, “näkökulma” literally means “angle of vision”. In other words, “a perspective”.
ry

[noun]
potilas

[noun]

(patient)
valta

[noun]

(power)
virka

[noun]
eduskunta

[noun]
kylä

[noun]

(village)
normaali

[adjective]

(normal)
kansallinen

[adjective]

(national)
henkilökohtainen

[adjective]

(personal)
nykyisin

[adverb]

(nowadays)
tietysti

[adverb]

(of course)
elokuu

[noun]

(august)

elokuu is a compound formed from the words elo (which can mean “crop” or “life”) and kuu (“month”).
energia

[noun]

(energy)
pohtia

[verb]
korostaa

[verb]

(highlight)
professori

[noun]

(professor)
opinto

[noun]
melko

[adverb]

(quite)
tammikuu

[noun]

(January)
kehittyä

[verb]
työskennellä

[verb]

(to work)

The Finnish word “työskennellä” is a verb that means “to work”. It is formed from the base word “työ”, which means “work”, and the verb suffix “-skennellä”. The suffix “-skennellä” is a frequentative suffix, which indicates that the action described by the verb is repeated or ongoing. Therefore, “työskennellä” can be understood to mean “to work continuously or repeatedly”.
laina

[noun]

(loan)
viranomainen

[noun]
materiaali

[noun]

(material)
yhtään

[adverb]
yhteisö

[noun]

(community)
tyttö

[noun]

(girl)
sähköposti

[noun]

(e-mail)
lautakunta

[noun]

(board)
jatkuvasti

[adverb]

(continually)
erillinen

[adjective]

(separate)
henkilöstö

[noun]

(personnel)

The word henkilöstö is formed from henkilö (which means “person”) by adding the derivational suffix -stö which creates nouns referring to a collection of instances.
linja

[noun]

(line)
selvitä

[verb]
pääministeri

[noun]

(prime minister)
muodostua

[verb]

(to form)
aineisto

[noun]

(material)
syyskuu

[noun]

(september)
ilmainen

[adjective]

(free)
lausunto

[noun]

(statement)
kiinteistö

[noun]
etusivu

[noun]

(front page)
pinta

[noun]

(surface)
mahdollistaa

[verb]

(enable)
molemmat

[pronoun]

(both)
ura

[noun]

(career)
talvi

[noun]

(winter)
viettää

[verb]

(spend)
tarina

[noun]

(story)
maakunta

[noun]

(province)
kenttä

[noun]

(field)
lähellä

[preposition]

(near)
runsaasti

[adverb]
arvio

[noun]

(estimate)
kunnanhallitus

[noun]
sijoittaa

[verb]

(place)
keskustella

[verb]
lukio

[noun]
ulos

[adverb]

(out)
työryhmä

[noun]

(working group)
esiin

[adverb]

(out)
sieltä

[adverb]

(from there)
hieno

[adjective]

(fine)
verkko

[noun]

(network)
tuhat

[numeral]

(thousand)
periaate

[noun]

(principle)
Espoo

[proper noun]

Espoo is the name of a city which is located in the south of Finland.
kiinnostaa

[verb]

(to interest)
Loviisa

[proper noun]

Loviisa is a Finnish female name. For more examples, see this guide to Finnish girl names
helmikuu

[noun]

(February)

“Helmikuu” is a Finnish word that translates to “February” in English. It is a compound word made up of “helmi” and “kuu”, which respectively mean “pearl” and “month”. Consequently, “helmikuu” can be understood to mean “month of pearls”. In Finland, February is typically one of the coldest and darkest months of the year. Therefore, the word “helmikuu” evokes images of the glittering, icy landscapes that are common during this time.
osaaminen

[noun]
ilmestyä

[verb]

(appear)
hallinta

[noun]
kärsiä

[verb]
pelkästään

[adverb]

(only)
monipuolinen

[adjective]

(versatile)
huomattavasti

[adverb]

(notably)
yrittäjä

[noun]

(entrepreneur)
liite

[noun]

(appendix)
huolehtia

[verb]
ainakaan

[adverb]
ystävä

[noun]

(friend)
riippua

[verb]

(to depend)
onneksi

[adverb]

(fortunately)
sisältyä

[verb]
Jyväskylä

[proper noun]

Jyväskylä is the name of a city in Finland.
yhdistää

[verb]
hallita

[verb]

(reign)
sisäinen

[adjective]

(internal)
idea

[noun]

(idea)
kokonaisuus

[noun]

(whole)
meno

[noun]

(going)
marraskuu

[noun]

(November)
kotimainen

[adjective]

(domestic)
edistää

[verb]

(to promote)
hyöty

[noun]

(benefit)
varata

[verb]

(book)
ryhtyä

[verb]

(start)
levy

[noun]

(plate)
liike

[noun]

(movement)
venäläinen

[adjective]

(russian)
sattua

[verb]

(occur)
istua

[verb]

(to sit)
ympäri

[preposition]
eteenpäin

[adverb]

(ahead)
turvallisuus

[noun]

(safety)
teollisuus

[noun]

(industry)
aine

[noun]

(substance)
jakso

[noun]

(period)
suhteen

[postposition]

(regarding)
seitsemän

[numeral]

(seven)
kiinnittää

[verb]

(fix)
varmistaa

[verb]
korvata

[verb]

(to replace)
artikkeli

[noun]

(article)
vaalit

[noun]
taito

[noun]

(skill)
hyödyntää

[verb]

(utilize)
kohtaan

[postposition]

(towards)
homma

[noun]
riski

[noun]

(risk)
toisin

[adverb]

(otherwise)
Lahti

[proper noun]

This word is the name of a city in Finland.
ehto

[noun]

(condition)
Mikko

[proper noun]

Mikko is a Finnish male name. It corresponds to the English name “Michael”.
taitaa

[verb]

(to know)
määritellä

[verb]

(to define)
opiskelu

[noun]

(study)
sopiva

[adjective]

(suitable)
järjestö

[noun]

(organization)
sääntö

[noun]

(rule)
esille

[adverb]

(up)
kauan

[adverb]

(long)
yksittäinen

[adjective]

(single)
ilmoitus

[noun]

(advertisement)
painaa

[verb]

(press)
Kuopio

[proper noun]

Kuopio is the name of a city in Finland.
ilmeisesti

[adverb]

(apparently)
uutinen

[noun]

(news)
yksin

[adverb]

(alone)
havaita

[verb]

(detect)
tunnettu

[adjective]

(known)
lokakuu

[noun]

(october)

“Lokakuu” is a Finnish word that translates to “October” in English. It is a combination of two words: “loka”, which means “mud” or “dirt”, and “kuu”, which means “month”. Consequently, the word “lokakuu” can be understood to mean “muddy month”. In Finland, the weather during the month of October tends to be rainy, making it a wet season.
kuluttaja

[noun]

(consumer)
edellytys

[noun]

(prerequisite)
loppua

[verb]

(to end)
keskimäärin

[adverb]

(on average)
Vantaa

[proper noun]

Vantaa is the name of a city located in the south of Finland.
toistaiseksi

[adverb]
todennäköisesti

[adverb]

(likely)
vanhempi

[noun]

(parent)
äänestää

[verb]

(to vote)
Kari

[proper noun]
millainen

[adjective]

(what kind)
arviointi

[noun]

(evaluation)
terveys

[noun]

(health)
toteuttaminen

[noun]

(realization)
video

[noun]

(video)
oppia

[verb]

(to learn)
kesäkuu

[noun]

(june)

“Kesäkuu” is a Finnish compound word that consists of “kesä”, meaning “summer”, and “kuu”, meaning “month”. When translated into English, “Kesäkuu” means “June”, literally meaning “month of summer”. In Finland, June marks the transition from spring to summer and is often associated with the beginning of the warmest and sunniest period of the year.
kerro

[verb]
Sipilä

[proper noun]
ominaisuus

[noun]

(quality)
kansanedustaja

[noun]
avoin

[adjective]

(open)
työelämä

[noun]

(working life)

The Finnish word “Työelämä” translates to “working life” in English. It is a compound word made up of “työ”, which means “work”, and “elämä”, which means “life”. As a result, “työelämä” can be understood to mean “the part of life that is devoted to work”. The term is also used in discussions about work-life balance and well-being.
ranta

[noun]

(shore)
unioni

[noun]

(union)
kotimaa

[noun]

(homeland)

This Finnish compound word is a combination of koti (which means “home”) and maa (which means “country”).
rakenne

[noun]

(structure)
säilyä

[verb]

(last)
liikaa

[adverb]

(too much)
henkilökunta

[noun]

(staff)

The Finnish word “Henkilökunta” translates to “staff” or “personnel” in English. It is a compound word made up of “henkilö” and “kunta”, which respectively mean “person” and “municipality”. Together, “henkilökunta” can be understood to mean “group of people associated with a particular organization or institution”. In Finland, “henkilökunta” is commonly used to refer to the employees or workers of an organization.
ovi

[noun]

(door)
kuolema

[noun]

(death)
mukava

[adjective]

(nice)
hyvinvointi

[noun]

(well-being)

“Hyvinvointi” is a Finnish word that translates to “well-being” or “welfare” in English. It is a compound word made up of “hyvin”, which means “well” or “good”, and “vointi”, which refers to “condition”. Therefore, the combined meaning of “hyvinvointi” is “good condition”. The Finnish government places a high value on promoting and maintaining “hyvinvointi”, and has implemented policies and programs to improve its citizens’ well-being. As a result, Finland consistently ranks high on international measures of well-being, such as the World Happiness Report and the Human Development Index.
näkemys

[noun]

(view)
sektori

[noun]

(sector)
tavara

[noun]

(goods)
lista

[noun]

(list)
kotona

[adverb]

(at home)
erikseen

[adverb]

(separately)
kaveri

[noun]

(guy)
tontti

[noun]

(plot)
aamu

[noun]

(morning)
luku

[noun]

(number)
kierros

[noun]

(round)
ravintola

[noun]

(restaurant)
kokoomus

[noun]

(coalition)
päin

[adverb]
joulukuu

[noun]

(December)

joulukuu is a compound word which combines joulu (“Christmas”) and kuu (“month”).
musta

[adjective]

(black)
epäillä

[verb]

(suspect)
koostua

[verb]

(to consist of)
varma

[adjective]

(sure)
herättää

[verb]
toimisto

[noun]

(office)
väli

[noun]

(space)
päällä

[adverb]

(on)
pakko

[noun]
vauhti

[noun]

(velocity)
kahdeksan

[numeral]

(eight)
palauttaa

[verb]

(to return)
Jukka

[proper noun]
opiskella

[verb]

(study)
menettää

[verb]

(to lose)
toimenpide

[noun]
kaikkiaan

[adverb]

(altogether)
dollari

[noun]

(dollar)
käynti

[noun]
huoli

[noun]

(worry)
oikeasti

[adverb]

(for real)
toteutua

[verb]

(be realized)
kunnes

[conjunction]

(until)
välttämättä

[adverb]

(necessarily)
korko

[noun]

(interest)
lippu

[noun]

(flag)
suora

[adjective]

(direct)
taho

[noun]
hallinto

[noun]

(administration)
voimassa

[adverb]

(in force)
ehdottaa

[verb]

(propose)
valmentaja

[noun]

(coach)
tuskin

[adverb]

(hardly)
pelkkä

[adjective]

(mere)
liikevaihto

[noun]

(revenue)
reilu

[adjective]

(fair)
aiheutua

[verb]
milloin

[adverb]

(when)
tavata

[verb]

(to meet)
toimiala

[noun]

(industry)
kasvattaa

[verb]

(to grow)
vihreä

[adjective]

(green)
tähti

[noun]

(star)
tarjolla

[adverb]
korjata

[verb]

(to fix)
väittää

[verb]

(to claim)
haastattelu

[noun]

(interview)
kohdistua

[verb]
puhe

[noun]

(speech)
ohi

[adverb]

(past)
ohjata

[verb]

(control)
säilyttää

[verb]

(to retain)
Norja

[proper noun]
seutu

[noun]

(region)
määrätä

[verb]

(determine)
Espanja

[proper noun]
Italia

[proper noun]
raportti

[noun]
tyytyväinen

[adjective]

(pleased)
eläin

[noun]

(animal)
enintään

[adverb]

(at most)
viikonloppu

[noun]

(weekend)
seurakunta

[noun]

(parish)
piha

[noun]

(yard)
jatkuva

[adjective]

(continuous)
viimeistään

[adverb]

(at the latest)
kattaa

[verb]

(to cover)
organisaatio

[noun]

(organization)
Mikkeli

[proper noun]
mitä

[pronoun]

(what)
Viro

[proper noun]
nauttia

[verb]
yhteen

[adverb]

(together)
versio

[noun]

(version)
aste

[noun]

(degree)
liittää

[verb]

(attach)
teko

[noun]

(act)
tappio

[noun]

(defeat)
mahdollisesti

[adverb]

(possibly)
eteen

[postposition]

(in front of)
valvonta

[noun]

(monitoring)
Kouvola

[proper noun]
terveydenhuolto

[noun]

(health care)
tietenkin

[adverb]

(of course)
edetä

[verb]

(proceed)
totuus

[noun]

(truth)
käsitys

[noun]
Jussi

[proper noun]
jalka

[noun]

(foot)
eilen

[adverb]

(yesterday)
tutkinto

[noun]
muualla

[adverb]

(elsewhere)
virhe

[noun]

(error)
Yle

[proper noun]
ylittää

[verb]

(to exceed)
virallinen

[adjective]

(official)
Jari

[proper noun]
näyttely

[noun]

(show)
väri

[noun]

(color)
rauha

[noun]

(peace)
paljastaa

[verb]

(to reveal)
kriisi

[noun]

(crisis)
ilma

[noun]

(air)
kokeilla

[verb]
ohjaus

[noun]

(control)
neljäs

[adjective]

(fourth)
sivusto

[noun]

(site)
melkein

[adverb]

(almost)
järjestäminen

[noun]
talousarvio

[noun]

(budget)
prosessi

[noun]

(process)
soveltua

[verb]
turvallinen

[adjective]

(safe)
hävitä

[verb]

(vanish)
kuljettaja

[noun]

(driver)
väärä

[adjective]

(wrong)
heinäkuu

[noun]

(july)

“Heinäkuu”, a Finnish word that translates to “July” in English, is a compound word made up of “heinä” and “kuu”, which respectively mean “hay” and “month”. Therefore, “heinäkuu” can be understood to mean “month of hay”. In Finland, July is typically a warm and sunny month, and the word “heinäkuu” is often associated with the peak of summer and the harvesting of crops. Fields are full of hay and other vegetation during this time.
aluksi

[adverb]

(in the beginning)
valtakunnallinen

[adjective]
tyhjä

[adjective]

(blank)
korvaus

[noun]

(compensation)
keskellä

[preposition]

(in the middle)
tekniikka

[noun]

(technique)
ohella

[postposition]

(alongside)
todellisuus

[noun]

(reality)
kallis

[adjective]

(expensive)
ratkaista

[verb]

(to solve)
samanlainen

[adjective]

(similar)
punainen

[adjective]

(red)
helpottaa

[verb]

(facilitate)
Heikki

[proper noun]
vaara

[noun]

(danger)
museo

[noun]

(museum)
kysyntä

[noun]

(demand)
luvata

[verb]

(to promise)
Pori

[proper noun]
kertyä

[verb]

(accrue)
hakemus

[noun]

(application)
ulkopuolella

[noun]

(outside)
vaihdella

[verb]

(to vary)
tarkastella

[verb]
selkeä

[adjective]

(clear)
Lappi

[proper noun]
alkuperäinen

[adjective]

(original)
kuvaus

[noun]

(description)
olo

[noun]
positiivinen

[adjective]

(positive)
tarkistaa

[verb]

(to check)
ikä

[noun]

(age)
ohjaaja

[noun]

(director)
viimeksi

[adverb]

(last)
saksalainen

[adjective]

(german)
sähkö

[noun]

(electricity)
neuvottelu

[noun]

(negotiation)
puhelin

[noun]

(phone)
pallo

[noun]

(ball)
tunne

[noun]

(feeling)
oppiminen

[noun]

(learning)
ilmetä

[verb]
toivottavasti

[adverb]

(hopefully)
kulu

[noun]

(expense)
mm

[noun]
tietokone

[noun]

(computer)

The Finnish word “Tietokone” (which translates to “computer”) is a compound word created from the terms “tieto”, meaning “information”, and “kone”, meaning “machine”. Consequently, the word “tietokone” literally translates to “information machine”.
Mika

[proper noun]