Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Animals

Finnish Vocabulary - Animals

Hi Finnish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be learning about animals in Finnish. Animals are an important part of Finnish culture, with many creatures featuring in folklore and mythology. So whether you're planning a trip to Finland or simply looking to expand your vocabulary, this lesson is for you! Let's get started!

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Family, Weather, Essential Phrases in Finnish & Basic Greetings.

Basic Animal Vocabulary

Before we dive into the more unusual animals that can be found in Finland, let's take a look at some basic animal vocabulary:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
eläin	eh-lah-een	animal
kissa	kee-sa	cat
koira	koh-ee-ra	dog
kani	kah-nee	rabbit
lehmä	leh-ma	cow
hevonen	heh-voh-nen	horse
lintu	lin-tu	bird
kala	kah-la	fish
kärppä	kar-pa	weasel
orava	oh-rah-va	squirrel

As you can see, most of the animal names in Finnish are quite similar to their English counterparts. However, there are a few tricky ones to watch out for. For example, "kärppä" (weasel) and "orava" (squirrel) may look and sound quite different from what you're used to in English!

Let's practice using these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Koirasi on niin suloinen! (Your dog is so cute!)
• Person 2: Kiitos! Minulla on myös kissa. (Thanks! I also have a cat.)

Finnish Wildlife

Finland is home to many wild animals that you might not find in other parts of the world. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting Finnish creatures:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
karhu	kar-hoo	bear
susi	soo-see	wolf
ilves	il-vehs	lynx
saimaannorppa	sah-y-mahn-nor-pah	Saimaa ringed seal
ahma	ah-mah	wolverine
hirvi	heer-vee	moose

As you can see, some of these animals have unique names that may be difficult to pronounce at first. The "Saimaa ringed seal" is especially interesting, as it is found only in Lake Saimaa in eastern Finland. This rare animal is a protected species, and efforts are being made to increase its population.

Let's practice using these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Näin karhun metsässä. (I saw a bear in the forest.)
• Person 2: Oi ei! Ole varovainen. (Oh no! Be careful.)

Animal Sounds

In addition to learning the names of animals, it can be fun to learn the sounds they make. Here are some common Finnish animal sounds:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
koiran haukku	koh-ee-rahn howk-koo	dog bark
kissan naukuminen	kee-san nau-koo-mee-nen	cat meow
lehmän ammunta	leh-mahn ahm-moon-ta	cow moo
hevosen hirnunta	heh-voh-sehn heer-noon-ta	horse neigh

Learning these sounds can be a fun way to practice your pronunciation in Finnish!

Let's practice using these words in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Kuuntele, koira haukkuu. (Listen, the dog is barking.)
• Person 2: Joo, se varmaan näki jonkun eläimen. (Yeah, it probably saw an animal.)

Conclusion

Congratulations, you have now learned some important animal vocabulary in Finnish! If you want to continue improving your Finnish skills, be sure to check out Polyglot Club, where you can find native speakers and ask them any questions. You can also explore more vocabulary lessons on Finnish. Kiitos for reading! 🙏

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Finnish Vocabulary → Everyday Phrases and Expressions → Colors ..., Finnish Vocabulary → Family and Relationships → Family Members, Introducing Yourself & Clothes.

Other Lessons

• Counting and Numbers
• Education
• Parts of the Body
• Health
• Weather
• Geography
• At Home
• Adjectives in Finnish
• Adverbs in Finnish

Sources

• Welcome to the Wild: Animal Names in Finnish
• Let your Finnish-language animal run free - thisisFINLAND
• Finnish vocabulary game: learn the words for animals