Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions

Finnish Vocabulary - Idiomatic expressions

Hi Finnish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn some commonly used Finnish idiomatic expressions that will help you sound more natural and fluent in your conversations. Idiomatic expressions are phrases that have a different meaning than the literal meaning of the words used. For example, "it's raining cats and dogs" is an idiomatic expression in English that means it's raining heavily.

Idiomatic expressions are an important part of any language, and Finnish is no exception. By learning these expressions, you can better understand the cultural context of the language and improve your communication skills with native speakers. So, let's get started! Don't forget to use the Polyglot Club website to Find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have!

Basic idiomatic expressions

Let's start with some basic idiomatic expressions that you can use in everyday conversations.

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
olla pihalla	/ˈolːɑ ˈpihɑlːɑ/	to be out of the loop, to be clueless
olla samalla aaltopituudella	/ˈolːɑ ˈsɑmːɑlːɑ ˈɑːl̪ːtopituudellɑ/	to be on the same wavelength
olla napakymppi	/ˈolːɑ ˈn̪ɑpɑˌkymppi/	to be spot on, to hit the nail on the head
olla varpaillaan	/ˈolːɑ ˈʋɑrːpɑilɑɑn/	to be on one's toes, to be alert
olla nenä kiinni jossakin	/ˈolːɑ ˈn̪e̞n̪æ ˈkiʔːni ˈjosːɑkiɳ/	to be engrossed, to be absorbed in something

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Missä Matti on? (Where is Matti?)
• Person 2: En tiedä, olen itsekin olla pihalla tästä tilanteesta. (I don't know, I'm clueless about this situation too.)

Weather idiomatic expressions

Finnish weather can be quite unpredictable, and it's no surprise that there are many idiomatic expressions related to weather. Here are some commonly used ones:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
sataa kuin Esterin perseestä	/ˈsɑt̪ɑː ˈkui̯n̪ ˈesterin ˈper̞es̠te̞st̪æ/	to rain heavily
on hirmumyrsky päällä	/ˈon̪ ˈhirmuˌmyrskɯ ˈpæl̪ːl̪æ/	it’s a hurricane out there
pieni kuin pippuri	/ˈpieni̯ ˈkui̯n̪ ˈpipːuri/	very small
kuin kaksi marjaa	/ˈkui̯n̪ ˈkɑksi̯ ˈmɑrjɑː/	like two peas in a pod
pakkasukko	/ˈpɑkːɑs̠ˌukko̞/	old man winter, Jack Frost

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Onpa kylmä ulkona. (It's so cold outside.)
• Person 2: Niin, pakkasukko on taas täällä. (Yeah, old man winter is here again.)

Food idiomatic expressions

Food is an important part of Finnish culture, and it's no surprise that there are many idiomatic expressions related to food. Here are some commonly used ones:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
olla vetelä kuin vesimakkara	/ˈolːɑ ˈʋet̪e̞læ ˈkui̯n̪ ˈʋesi̯mɑkːɑr̞ːɑ/	to be weak or flabby
olla kermassa	/ˈolːɑ ˈkermɑss̠ɑ/	to have life good, to be in a good position
maistua puulta	/ˈmɑi̯stu̯ɑ ˈpuu̯lt̪ɑ/	to have a bland taste
syödä kuin hevonen	/ˈsyøðæ ˈkui̯n̪ ˈhe̞ʋos̠ene̞n̪/	to eat like a horse
olla kuin kala kuivalla maalla	/ˈolːɑ kui̯n̪ ˈkɑlɑ ˈkui̯vɑll̪ɑ ˈmɑl̪ːɑ/	to be out of one's element, to feel uncomfortable or awkward

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Tämä ruoka on kyllä aika mautonta. (This food is pretty bland.)
• Person 2: Niin, maistuu ihan puulta. (Yeah, it tastes like wood.)

Business idiomatic expressions

If you are doing business in Finland, it's important to understand some of the idiomatic expressions related to business. Here are some commonly used ones:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
leipää ja sirkushuveja	/ˈleipæː ˈjɑ ˈsirkusˌhuvejɑ/	bread and circuses, something that is offered to keep people happy, but without any real substance or value
olla samassa veneessä	/ˈolːɑ ˈsɑmːɑss̠ɑ ˈʋene̞ess̠æ/	to be in the same boat, to be in the same situation
olla silkkaa liikeideaani	/ˈolːɑ ˈsil̪kːɑˌli̯ik̟e̞i̯de̞ɑɳːi/	to be my pure business idea, to be my baby
lukea rivien välistä	/ˈluke̞æ ˈriʋie̞n̪ ˈʋælist̪æ/	to read between the lines, to try to understand what is really meant or implied
olla asiakkaan armoilla	/ˈolːɑ ˈɑsiɑkːɑɑn ˈɑrmoi̯llɑ/	to be at the mercy of the customer

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Miten kokous meni? (How did the meeting go?)
• Person 2: Ei kovin hyvin, mutta me ollaan samassa veneessä tämän asian kanssa. (Not very well, but we're in the same boat with this issue.)

Holiday idiomatic expressions

Finnish people love to celebrate holidays, and there are many idiomatic expressions related to them. Here are some commonly used ones:

Finnish	Pronunciation	English
olla kuin joulupukin kontti	/ˈolːɑ kui̯n̪ ˈjoul̪upu̞kin ˈkon̪t̪i/	to be full, to be stuffed
ollaan puikoissa	/ˈolːɑːn̪ ˈpuiko̞isːɑ/	to be in charge, to be the boss
olla korvasta kiinni	/ˈolːɑ ˈkor̞ʋɑstɑ ˈki̯inni/	to be caught red-handed
kipsutella pitkin katua	/ˈkipsu̯tel̪ːɑ ˈpit̪kin̪ ˈkɑtuɑ/	to walk gingerly, to limp
olla lomalla	/ˈolːɑ ˈlomɑllɑ/	to be on holiday, to be on vacation

Dialogue:

• Person 1: Oletko jo lomalla? (Are you on holiday yet?)
• Person 2: Kyllä, vihdoin ollaan lomalla! (Yes, finally on holiday!)

Now you have learned some basic Finnish idiomatic expressions that will help you sound more natural and fluent in your conversations. To improve your Finnish Vocabulary, don't forget to practice and use them in your daily interactions. ➡ 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. 😎