Earth, Water and Sky – Finnish Nature Vocabulary
Where would we be without nature (luonto)? Finns often refer to themselves as a “metsäkansa” aka a “forest nation”. The Finnish habit of going back to nature in summer to the kesämökki (summer cottage) is well-known internationally. Nature is a really wide topic that I touch on in many of these vocabulary lists. In this one are some words related to earth, water and sky.
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Maasto | Terrain |
| aarniometsä | old-growth forest |
| aavikko | desert |
| dyyni | dune |
| erämaa | wilderness |
| harju | ridge |
| luoto | rocky island |
| keidas | oasis |
| korpi | woodland |
| laakso | valley |
| lakeus | plain |
| mäki | hill |
| neva | marsh |
| niemi | cape |
| ranta | beach |
| rannikko | shore |
| rotko | ravine |
| saari | island |
| saaristo | archipelago |
| savanni | savannah |
| suo | swamp |
| tulivuori | volcano |
| tunturi | mountain |
| vaara | stoney hill |
| viidakko | jungle |
| vuori | mountain |
| vuoristo | mountain range |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Vesistöt | Water ways |
| joki | river |
| järvi | lake |
| kannas | isthmus |
| kari | reef |
| koski | rapids |
| laguuni | lagoon |
| lahti | bay, cove |
| lampi | pond |
| lätäkkö | puddle |
| meri | sea |
| puro | stream, brook |
| salmi | strait |
| sivujoki | tributary |
| vesiputous | waterfall |
| vesisade | rain |
| vuono | fjord |
| vuorovesi | tide |
| Taivas | Sky |
| aurinko | sun |
| auringonlasku | sun set |
| auringonnousu | sun rise |
| auringonpimennys | solar eclipse |
| kuu | moon |
| pilvi | cloud |
| revontulet | northern light |
| sateenkaari | rainbow |
| tähti | star |
| tähdenlento | falling star |
After learning this earth, water and sky vocabulary, you can move on to other nature themed vocabulary on our vocabulary page!




