Being Sick and Illnesses – Finnish Vocabulary
April 13, 2019
September 2, 2024
So you’re sick, are you? Or do you just want to learn some Finnish vocabulary about illnesses to be able to have a conversation about them? Below, you can find a list of some very common diseases. You can learn more illness related vocabulary on our page about doctor visits.
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Minulla on/oli | I have/had |
| ahdistushäiriö | anxiety disorder |
| aivohalvaus | a stroke |
| aivotärähdys | a concussion |
| ajos, paise | an abcess |
| allergia | allergy |
| anemia | anemia |
| auringonpistos | sunstroke |
| astma | asthma |
| bronkiitti | bronchitis |
| emätintulehdus | vaginal infection |
| epilepsia | epilepsy |
| eturauhassyöpä | prostate cancer |
| flunssa | flu, influenza |
| heinänuha | hay-fever |
| hengitysvaikeuksia | difficulty breathing |
| ihotauti | skin disease |
| ihottuma | a rash |
| inkontinenssi | incontinence |
| keskenmeno | miscarriage |
| keuhkokuume | pneumonia |
| kitarisantulehdus | tonsillitis |
| korvatulehdus | ear infection |
| lavantauti | typhoid |
| leukemia | leukemia |
| malaria | malaria |
| masennus | depression |
| merisairaus | sea-sickness |
| migreeni | migraine |
| munuaiskivi | kidney stone |
| nivelreuma | arthritis |
| noidannuoli | lumbago |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Minulla on/oli | I have/had |
| närästys | heartburn |
| pahoinvointi | nausea |
| paleltuma | frostbite |
| paniikkikohtaus | panic attack |
| polio | polio |
| rintasyöpä | breast cancer |
| sairaus | illness |
| tartunta | infection |
| tuberkuloosi | tuberculosis |
| raskausmyrkytys | pre-eclampsia |
| reumatismi | rheumatism |
| ripuli | diarrhea |
| ruokamyrkytys | food poisoning |
| sappikivi | gall stone |
| selkäsärky, selkäkipu | back ache |
| sikotauti | mumps |
| sokeritauti, diabetes | diabetes |
| sokki | shock |
| sukupuolitauti | venereal disease |
| sydänkohtaus | heart attack |
| sydänvika | heart problem |
| syöpä | cancer |
| trauma | trauma |
| traumaperäinen stressihäiriö | PTSD |
| tuhkarokko | scarlet fever |
| ummetus | constipation |
| umpisuolentulehdus | appendicitis |
| unettomuus | insomnia |
| vatsahaava | stomach ulcer |
| vesirokko | chicken pox |
Some basic sentences
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Olen sairas. | I’m sick. |
| Minulla on huono olo. | I don’t feel well. |
| En voi hyvin. | I’m not doing well. |
| En tiedä, mikä minua vaivaa. | I don’t know what’s wrong with me. |
| Tarvitsen lääkärin. | I need a doctor. |
| Tarvitsen lääkettä. | I need medication. |
| Haluan varata ajan lääkärille. | I want to make an appointment with a doctor. |
| Voisitko soittaa ambulanssin? | Could you call an ambulance? |
| Tarvitsen lääkärintodistuksen. | I need a doctor’s note. |
| En voi tulla kouluun tänään. | I can’t come to school today. |
| En voi tulla töihin tänään. | I can’t come to work today. |
That’s it for illnesses. You can study useful vocabulary sentences for visiting the doctor as well by clicking the link!
Hei, two questions:
– Wiktionary names “emätintulehdus” for vaginitis – “emäntientulehdus” struck me as a little odd, is it an alternative form, a (weird!) kind of euphemism, or simply an error? Most if not all google-results for “emäntientulehdus” seem to lead to or stem from this page. Also, can “tulehdus” mean both infection and inflammation in this case?
– The common cold is not in this list – is “olen vilustunut” used in everyday speech at all? I mostly hear people saying they have “flunssa” when talking about either the flu (real influenza) or also about the commom cold. Which is more common/natural, would you say? Are there different levels of formality?
Thanks, and all the best!