Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions
Hi Finnish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Finnish. Idioms are an important part of any language and they can help you to understand the culture and the people better. Let's get started!
Introduction
Idiomatic expressions are phrases or sayings that have a figurative meaning. They are usually not taken literally and they often have a cultural background. In Finnish, there are many idiomatic expressions that are used in everyday conversations. Knowing these expressions can help you to understand the language better and to communicate more effectively with native speakers.
To improve your Finnish Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
Common Idiomatic Expressions
Here are some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Finnish.
| Finnish | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| olla pihalla | oh-lah pee-hah-lah | to be out of it |
| olla kuin sika limppuun laitettuna | oh-lah koo-in see-kah leem-poo-oon lah-ee-teh-too-nah | to be like a pig in a poke |
| olla kuin kala vedessä | oh-lah koo-in kah-lah veh-deh-ssah | to be like a fish out of water |
| olla kuin kana vesipatjalla | oh-lah koo-in kah-nah veh-see-paht-yah-lah | to be like a chicken with its head cut off |
| olla kuin kukko kirkonkylällä | oh-lah koo-in kook-koh keer-kohn-ky-lah-lah | to be like a bull in a china shop |
| olla kuin kala verkossa | oh-lah koo-in kah-lah vehr-kohs-sah | to be like a fish in a net |
| olla kuin hauki kuivalla maalla | oh-lah koo-in how-kee koo-ee-vah-lah mah-ah-lah | to be like a fish out of water |
Let's look at some examples of how these expressions can be used in a conversation.
- Person 1: Mitä sinä teet? (What are you doing?)
- Person 2: En ymmärrä mitään. Olen pihalla. (I don't understand anything. I'm out of it.)
- Person 1: Oletko kuin sika limppuun laitettuna? (Are you like a pig in a poke?)
Conclusion
We have learned some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Finnish. Knowing these expressions can help you to understand the language better and to communicate more effectively with native speakers.
➡ 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. 😎
Related Lessons
- Counting and Numbers
- Adverbs in Finnish
- Fruits
- Count to 10
- Dinner Table
- How to count in Finnish
- Geography
- At Home
- Seasons