Interesting words / Study Finnish

Words that begin with the letter A

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter A
Finnish	English
Aasinsilta	A barely related and sometimes awkward transition from one topic to another that often has very little to do with the current topic or argument.
Aimo annos	A particularly large or abundant amount of something, named for Aimo Koivunen's(Opens in new window) overdosing of methamphetamine during combat during the Winter War.
Annoskateus	Portion jealousy, or the feeling of having chosen the wrong food when comparing to what someone else has ordered.
Avanto	A hole in the ice where someone can swim or dip into. Sometimes done between sauna sessions in winter.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter E
Finnish	English
Eräjorma	A person who loves the outdoors, is knowledgeable about nature and is typically skilled in survival.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter H
Finnish	English
Hiirenkorva	A new leaf on a tree that is about to unfold which sometimes may resemble a mouse’s ear.
Höyryjyrä	Literally “steamroller”, used by the Finnish army as a shibboleth during the war with the Soviet Union due to its difficult pronunciation.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter J
Finnish	English
Juoksentelisinkohan	To wonder if you should run around aimlessly.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter K
Finnish	English
Kaamos	The phenomenon where the night lasts for 24 hours within the northernmost part of Finland that is within the arctic circle, also known as polar night.
Kalsarikännit	The act of of getting drunk at home alone, typically in underpants, with no intention of going out.
Karhunpalvelus	A disservice, or something intended as service, but which turns out to be detrimental.
Kissanristiäiset	A party or event that you feel is unnecessary but you are somewhat forced to attend.
Korvamato	When a song or piece of music gets stuck in one’s head and plays over and over.
Kostovalvoja	Revenge bedtime procrastination, whereby one intentionally cuts their desired amount of sleep short in order to do other things, such as browse social media.
Kyykkyviini	Wines that are often the cheapest or least of quality that are located on the lowest shelf and require crouching to acquire.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter L
Finnish	English
Landespede	A person who was born or raised in the country side; a person not from the city.
Löyly	The act of throwing water on sauna’s stove and the heat, humidity and temperature in the sauna as a result of the steam.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter M
Finnish	English
Maitovara	Space left for milk in a cup of coffee or tea.
Motti	Military slang for a totally encircled enemy unit. The tactic of encircling is “Motitus”.
Myötähäpeä	Second-hand shame or compassion for someone making a fool of themselves.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter P
Finnish	English
Pääkallokeli	Dangerously slippery conditions that may hide black ice whereby one needs to worry about slipping and hitting their head.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter R
Finnish	English
Riuku	Usually a tree branch used to lean on or against for support while relieving one’s self.
Routa	The frozen top layer of earth or soil caused by cold weather during winter with ruotavaurio occasionally being used for roads or paths that have been damaged by such conditions.
Ruoto	Ruoto, or kalanruoto, is the term for the small bones of a fish commonly known as fishbone.
Ruska	The process of leaves turning from green changing to various colours in autumn.
Ruuhkavuodet	How a parent with young children may feel while trying to juggle responsibilities along with their career and hobbies.
Ryijy	A woven Finnish long-tufted tapestry or knotted-pile carpet hanging.
Rynnäkkökännit	Consuming large amounts of alcohol when in a rush which can cause unpredictable consequences.
Räkkä	A mass occurrence of insects that sting, bite and suck blood that emerge in Lapland around midsummer.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter S
Finnish	English
Saippuakivikauppias	A soapstone vendor and the longest single word palindrome.
Sisu	Stoic determination, perserverance, bravery, resilience or hardiness.
Sävelkorva	“An ear for music”, or the ability to recognise and/or reproduce tunes and melodies.
Söisinköhän	Literally “I wonder if I should eat something”.

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Table for the list of interesting words that begin with the letter V
Finnish	English
Vanhapoika, vanhapiika	Literally “Old boy”, but also understood as a person who has not been in any long term romantic relationships or has never been married and lives alone. Vanhapiika is the female equivalent.