Berries – Marjat – Finnish Vocabulary
March 11, 2019
November 29, 2024
Thanks to jokamiehenoikeudet (everyman’s rights), you can go into the Finnish forests and collect berries (marjat) there for free! The forest is for all Finns, and for you too, if you are in Finland. If you want to learn some vocabulary about fruit, you can do that too!
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| boysenmarja | boysenberry |
| juolukka | bog whortleberry |
| karhunvatukka | blackberry |
| karpalo | cranberry |
| karviaismarja | gooseberry |
| kirsikka | cherry |
| lakka | cloudberry |
| lillukka | stone bramble |
| mansikka | strawberry |
| mesimarja | arctic bramble |
| metsämansikka | wild strawberry |
| mustikka | blueberry * |
| mustaherukka | blackcurrant |
| pensasmustikka | highbush blueberry |
| pihlajanmarja | rowanberry |
| punaherukka | red currant |
| puolukka | lingonberry |
| tyrni | buckthorn |
| vadelma | raspberry |
| variksenmarja | black crowberry |
| viinimarja | currant |
| hillomarja | berry for jam |
| luonnonmarja | berry in nature |
| metsämarja | berry in forest |
| puutarhamarja | berry in garden |
| talousmarja | cultivated berry |
| pakastemarja | frozen berry |
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| marja | berry |
| pensas | shrub, bush |
| sato | harvest |
| hillo | jam |
| hyytelö | jelly |
| kiisseli | kissel |
| mehu | juice |
| tuoremehu | juice |
| marjakeitto | berry soup |
| mustikkapiirakka | blueberry pie |
| makea | sweet |
| hapan | sour |
| raaka | green, raw |
| kypsä | ripe |
| kypsyä | to ripen |
| kukkia | to blossom |
| marjastaa | to pick berries |
| poimia marjoja | to pick berries |
| kerätä | to collect |
| mennä marjaan | to go to pick berries |
| olla marjassa | to be picking berries |
| säilöä | to conserve |
| survoa | to crush |
| marjastaja | berry picker |
| mehumaija | steam juicer |
| mehustin | steam juicer |
Sayings with berries
- “Oma maa mansikka, muu maa mustikka.”
Literally: Own country strawberry, other country blueberry.
Meaning: Things are better at home. - “Se maksaa mansikoita.”
Literally: It costs strawberries.
Meaning: It’s really expensive. - “He ovat kuin kaksi marjaa.”
Literally: They are like two berries.
Meaning: They’re very similar, like two peas in a pod. - “Hän lähti herrojen kanssa marjaan.”
Literally: He went picking berries with the gentlemen.
Meaning: He trusts in someone’s unsubstantiated promises. - “Se oli kirsikka kakun päällä.”
Literally: It was the cherry on top of the cake.
Meaning: It was the highpoint, the thing that made it perfect.
Mustikka should be bilberry
Gosh, I had no idea that there were two types of blueberries! Wiktionary luckily came to the rescue 🙂
For anyone wondering: Finnish mustikka is apparently the European colloquially named “blueberry” (but really bilberry). But there’s also the American “blueberry/bilberry”, which is also called mustikka in Finnish. What a vocabulary mess!
Pensasmustikka
Ah, of course! 🙂