Family members – Perhe ja sukulaiset
March 19, 2019
September 2, 2024
This article gives you the most basic vocabulary you should know related to family members. You could also check out our articles all about pregnancy and giving birth, about babies, and about age and aging!
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Perussanoja | Basic words |
| perhe | family |
| veli | brother |
| sisko / sisar | sister |
| vanhemmat | parents |
| äiti | mother |
| isä | father |
| vanhempi | parent |
| lapsi | child |
| tyttö / tytär | daughter |
| poika | son |
| vaimo | wife |
| mies | husband |
| pikkusisko | little sister |
| isosisko | older sister |
| pikkuveli | little brother |
| isoveli | older brother |
| isovanhemmat | grandparents |
| isoäiti | grandmother |
| isoisä | grandfather |
| lastenlapset | grandchildren |
| täti | aunt |
| setä | uncle (father’s side) |
| eno | uncle (mother’s side) |
| serkku | cousin |
| käly | sister-in-law |
| lanko | brother-in-law |
| anoppi | mother-in-law |
| appi | father-in-law |
| miniä | daughter-in-law |
| vävy | son-in-law |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Hieman vaikeampia sanoja | Somewhat more difficult words |
| sisarukset | siblings |
| perheenjäsenet | family members |
| sukulaiset | extended family |
| sukulainen | relative |
| sisarenpoika | nephew (sister’s son) |
| veljenpoika | nephew (brother’s son) |
| sisarentytär | niece (sister’s daughter) |
| veljentytär | niece (brother’s daughter) |
| pojantytär | granddaughter (son’s daughter) |
| tyttärentytär | granddaughter (daughter’s daughter) |
| pojanpoika | grandson (son’s son) |
| tyttärenpoika | grandson (daughter’s son) |
| pikkuserkku | second cousin |
| isoisänisä | great-grandfather |
| lapsenlapsen lapsi | great-grandchild |
| kummivanhemmat | godparents |
| kummisetä | godfather |
| kummitäti | godmother |
| kummipoika | godson |
| kummitytär / kummityttö | goddaughter |
| Hiukan puhekieltä | A little spoken language |
| mummo, mummi, mummu, muori |
grandma |
| pappa, ukki, ukko, vaari | grandpa |
| isi, iskä, faija | dad, daddy |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| naimisissa | married |
| mennä naimisiin | to get married |
| avioliitto | marriage |
| aviomies | husband in marriage |
| aviovaimo | wife in marriage |
| avoliitto | cohabitation |
| avomies | common-law husband |
| avovaimo | common-law wife |
| parisuhde | relationship |
| parisuhteessa | in a relationship |
| kihloissa | engaged |
| mennä kihloihin | to get engaged |
| naimaton | unmarried |
| eronnut | divorced |
| leski | widow / widower |
| kumppani | partner |
| puoliso | spouse |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| isäpuoli | stepfather |
| äitipuoli | stepmother |
| sisarpuoli | stepsister |
| velipuoli | stepbrother |
| tytärpuoli | stepdaughter |
| poikapuoli | stepson |
| huoltaja | caregiver, guardian |
| holhooja | guardian |
| orpo | orphan |
| sijaisperhe | foster family |
| adoptio | adoption |
| adoptoitu | adopted |
| adoptoida | to adopt |
| adoptioäiti | adoptive mother |
| biologinen äiti | biological mother |
| yksinhuoltaja | single parent |
I was wondering, when Finnish people talk about their spouses in casual conversation, do they tend to say “mun vaimo/mies”, or do they rather say “Mun puoliso” ?
Are younger and older people different in this respect ?
And I had the same question about “mun tyttöystäva/poikaystävä” versus “mun kumpanni”.
Thank you again !
If you use ”puoliso” about a long-term partner or ”kumppani” about a partner that is perhaps not so established yet, those terms hide the gender of him/her. So they are used especially when you don’t want to reveal that he/she is the same gender than you.
But also many heteros use them, too.
Is it necessary to read all the sub-articles as well, (for example pregnancy and giving birth, about babies, and about age and aging are also discussed in other articles ) , to cover the content of A1?
No! You CAN look through them and pick some vocabulary that you find important for YOUR life in particular, but there is a lot of vocabulary you can leave until later.
My website is FULL of links, so you will always run into other related topics.
Hello,
I wouldn’t say isoisänisä but rather isoisoisä or isopappa. Same way isoisovanhemmat.
Tyttöystävä/poikaystävä = tyttökaveri/poikakaveri. Those can mean on the other hand a partner or just a female or male friend.
If they sound too young terms for middle-agers or older, you can also say naisystävä/miesystävä. These about the partners only.
Ex-vaimo or ex-mies in the spoken language = exä. A new, current parter in the spoken language = nyxä.
Sorry for talking about the English translation, but
“Caretaker” I think refers to someone being paid to care, but “caregiver” or “carer” would better translate to “huoltaja” in this context
ps. I love your content! Really good vocab lists that I’ve also hinted to my non-Finnish students 🙂
I always appreciate feedback on the English translations as well! I changed it to “caregiver” but also added “guardian” since it’s often a legal thing as well.
Very Helpful article! Kiitos
I want to know why my Finnish boyfriend sometimes says this “Rupeen nuku” What does rupeen mean…? Is it used by men only or??
“Rupeen nukkuun” is spoken language for “Rupean nukkumaan” (“I start to sleep” or “I will start to sleep”). It’s from the verb ruveta (to start, to begin). Just regular spoken Finnish, not specific to men!
WooW! Language learning is truly amazing! (^,^) I thought it’s probably a nickname he likes to call himself. Now I know better. Thank you, I appreciate your responses. My Finnish language journey is going stronger by the day.