Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Family

Finnish Vocabulary - Family

Hi Finnish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about Family vocabulary in Finnish. Family is an important aspect of Finnish culture, and understanding these words will help you in many situations. We will cover words for different family members and relationships, as well as some interesting facts about Finnish family life.

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Weather, Finnish Vocabulary → Everyday Phrases and Expressions → Colors ..., Transportation and Travel & Introducing Yourself.

Vocabulary

In Finnish, many family words can be formed by adding the suffix '-lainen' to a word. For example, 'sisko' means sister, and 'sisarlainen' means a person who is like a sister to you, such as a close friend. Another example is 'veli', meaning brother, and 'veljenpoika', meaning nephew.

Here are some basic family words in Finnish:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Äiti	['æiti]	Mother
Isä	['isæ]	Father
Sisko	['sisko]	Sister
Veli	['veli]	Brother
Tytär	['tytær]	Daughter
Poika	['poikæ]	Son
Isovanhemmat	['isovɑnhemt]	Grandparents
Mummo	['mum:o]	Grandma
Vaari	['vɑ:ri]	Grandpa

In addition to these words, here are some more specific family terms:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
Tytärpuoli	['tytærpuoli]	Stepdaughter
Poikapuoli	['poikæpuoli]	Stepson
Pikkuserkku	['pikkuserkku]	Second cousin
Käly	['kæly]	Brother-in-law (married to sister or sister-in-law)
Appi	['ɑppi]	Father-in-law (husband's father or wife's father)
Anoppi	['ɑnop:i]	Mother-in-law (husband's mother or wife's mother)

Useful Phrases

Now that you know some basic family words in Finnish, let's practice using them in conversation. Here is a dialogue between a son and his mother:

• Poika: Hei äiti! ('Hey Mom!')
• Äiti: Hei poikani! Kuinka voit? ('Hey my son! How are you?')
• Poika: Hyvin, kiitos. Entä sinä? ('Good, thanks. And you?')
• Äiti: Minulla on ollut kiireinen päivä, mutta olen hyvä. ('I've had a busy day, but I'm good.')
• Poika: Oletko nähnyt siskoa tänään? ('Have you seen sister today?')
• Äiti: Kyllä, hän kävi täällä aamupäivällä. ('Yes, she was here this morning.')
• Poika: Miten veli voi? ('How is brother?')
• Äiti: Hän on kunnossa, hän soitti minulle eilen illalla. ('He's fine, he called me yesterday evening.')

Finnish Family Life

In Finland, family life is highly valued. Finns tend to have close relationships with their family members, and it is common for people to live close to their parents and siblings. Grandparents are also an important part of family life, and they often help out with childcare.

In the past, Finnish families were quite large, with families of 8-10 children being common. However, in recent decades, the average family size has decreased significantly. Today, the average family has 1-2 children.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've learned many important family words in Finnish, and you can now use them in conversation. To improve your Finnish Vocabulary, you can also check out the Polyglot Club website. Don't be afraid to ask questions and find native speakers to practice with.

If you want to learn more Finnish words, check out the Vocabulary section on this website. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be fluent in Finnish!

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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. 😎

Sources

• Learn How to Talk About Your Family in Finnish
• Family words in Finnish
• Must-Know Finnish Terms for Family Members

Well done on mastering this lesson! Don't miss these related pages to expand your knowledge: Finnish Vocabulary → Daily Activities → Daily Routine, Food, Count to 10 & Verb Types.

Other Lessons

• Home
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• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Verbs in Finnish
• Problems in Finnish
• Drinks
• Counting and Numbers
• Verb Types
• Animals
• Camping