This page contains the Finnish words for the most common bodyparts.
1. The head and face
| Finnish |
English |
| kasvot, naama |
face |
| pää |
head |
| huuli, huulet |
lip, lips |
| hammas |
tooth, teeth |
| suu |
mouth |
| kieli |
tongue |
| nenä |
nose |
| sierain, sieraimet |
nostril, nostrils |
| poski, posket |
cheek, cheeks |
| poskipää, poskipäät |
cheekbone, cheekbone |
| otsa |
forehead |
| silmä, silmät |
eye, eyes |
| silmäripsi, ripset |
eyelash, lashes |
| hiukset, tukka |
hair |
| ohimo, ohimot |
temple, temples |
| korva, korvat |
ear, ears |
| kulmakarvat |
eyebrows |
| leuka |
chin |
| kaula |
neck |
| niska |
back of the neck |
| takaraivo |
back of head |
2. The torso
| Finnish |
English |
| vatsa |
stomach |
| maha |
belly |
| vyötärö |
waist |
| napa |
navel, belly button |
| rintakehä, rinta |
chest |
| rinta, rinnat |
breast, breasts |
| tissit (informal) |
boobs |
| selkä |
back |
| alaselkä |
lower back |
| yläselkä |
upper back |
| selkäranka |
spine |
| kylki, kyljet |
side, sides |
| lonkka, lonkat |
hip, hips |
| peppu, takapuoli |
butt |
| kainalo, kainalot |
armpit, armpits |
3. Appendages
| Finnish |
English |
| käsi, kädet |
hand, or arm |
| käsivarsi, käsivarret |
arm, arms |
| kämmen, kämmenet |
palm of hand(s) |
| kädenselkä, kädenselät |
back of hand(s) |
| nyrkki, nyrkit |
fist, fists |
| sormi, sormet |
finger, fingers |
| etusormi, etusormet |
index finger, index fingers |
| peukalo, peukalot |
thumb, thumbs |
| keskisormi, keskisormet |
middle finger, middle fingers |
| nimetön, nimettömät |
ring finger, ring fingers |
| pikkurilli, pikkurillit |
little finger, little fingers |
| kynsi, kynnet |
nail, nails |
| ranne, ranteet |
wrist, wrists |
| kyynärpää, kyynärpäät |
elbow, elbows |
| kyynärvarsi, käsivarret |
forearm, forearms |
| olkapää, olkapäät |
shoulder, shoulders |
| olkavarsi, olkavarret |
upper arm, upper arms |
| jalka, jalat |
leg, or foot |
| jalkaterä, jalkaterät |
foot, feet |
| jalkapohja, jalkapohjat |
sole of foot, soles of feet |
| kantapää, kantapäät |
heel, heels |
| polvi, polvet |
knee, knees |
| nilkka, nilkat |
ankle, ankles |
| pohje, pohkeet |
calf, calves |
| sääri, sääret |
shin, shins |
| reisi, reidet |
thigh, thighs |
| lantio |
pelvis |
| varvas, varpaat |
toe, toes |
The Plural Forms of Bodyparts
Some of these words are the kind which you usually have two of (e.g. eyes, ears, legs). Below you can find the singular and plural forms of those bodyparts. The first column contains words ending in -i, which undergo certain changes when you inflect them into the T-plural.
The second column contains words that belong to wordtype A, which means their basic form will be strong and their inflected form weak in the T-plural. In contrast, the words in the third column belong to wordtype B, which means their T-plural is strong while their basic form is weak.
| Singular |
Plural |
| huuli |
huulet |
| kylki |
kyljet |
| kynsi |
kynnet |
| kyynärvarsi |
kyynärvarret |
| käsi |
kädet |
| olkavarsi |
olkavarret |
| polvi |
polvet |
| reisi |
reidet |
| ripsi |
ripset |
| sormi |
sormet |
| sääri |
sääret |
| Singular |
Plural |
| jalka |
jalat |
| korva |
korvat |
| kämmen |
kämmenet |
| lonkka |
lonkat |
| nilkka |
nilkat |
| rinta |
rinnat |
| silmä |
silmät |
| Singular |
Plural |
| hammas |
hampaat |
| ien |
ikenet |
| pohje |
pohkeet |
| ranne |
ranteet |
| sierain |
sieraimet |
| varvas |
varpaat |
Sayings with Bodyparts
- “Häneltä meni sormi suuhun.”
Literally: His finger went into his mouth.
Meaning: He didn’t know what to do.
- “Nyt pitää ottaa järki käteen.”
Literally: Now we have to take the wits in the hand.
Meaning: Now we have to be smart.
- “Hän otti lusikan kauniiseen käteen.”
Literally: She took the spoon in a beautiful hand.
Meaning: She understood the situation and fixed her mistake.
- “Häntä pestiin kiireestä kantapäähän.”
Literally: She was washed from the top of the head to the heel.
Meaning: She was washed from top to toe.
- “Tiina juoksi kieli vyön alla.”
Literally: Tiina ran with the tongue underneath the belt.
Meaning: Tiina was/ran in a great hurry.
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Hän otti kynän* kauniiseen käteen. One correction there
Nice catch! Thank you!
Never heard “kynä” in that saying. “Lusikka kauniiseen käteen” is familiar to me.
Incidentally, to me (I’m 60), “ruumiinosa” sounds like the normal word for body part, whereas “kehonosa” sounds artificial. Perhaps younger people perceive this differently.
In a way, I’m so glad to hear that you use “ruumiinosa”! That’s what I myself learned 19 years ago when I was just starting out learning Finnish, because it was the translation provided in my paper dictionary at the time. Later, I adjusted to using “kehonosat” instead, because people started remarking that “ruumiinosat” made them think of dead bodies.
Traditionally, “ruumis” has no connotations of being dead. For example, as you probably know, one speaks of “ruumiinkulttuuri” (gymnastics and such) and there is the saying: “Terve sielu terveessä ruumiissa”. One also speaks of “ruumiillinen työ” etc.