The Finnish Language

[HoneyLavender࿐]

this is a thread just so I can show people how long and hard the finnish language actually is. One of the great things about learning a new language is you will find humour in certain words, humour that the natives have probably never picked up on. In English we have lots of words that are ridiculous when you think about it, such as "rambunctious" and "discombobulate", but we English don't realise it because it's our language dammit and it's right! Here are my favourite Finnish words and phrases:

Because Finnish uses free forming of composite words, new words can even be formed during a conversation. One can add nouns after each other without breaking grammar rules. If one allows artificial constructs as well as using clitics and conjugated forms, one can create even longer words: such as

kumarreksituteskenteleentuvaisehkollaismaisekkuudellisenneskenteluttelemattomammuuksissansakaankopahan

(yes it is a word)
it is a word that means nothing it is a word but it basically is just nonsense and is in the dictionary but doesnt have a listed meaning

[HoneyLavender࿐]

second word:

lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas

this is actually a job beleive it or not. it means= airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic non-commissioned officer student

[HoneyLavender࿐]

The longest non-compound (a single stem with prefixes and suffixes) Finnish word recognised by the Guinness Book of Records is

epäjärjestelmällistyttämättömyydellänsäkäänköhän

it means: I wonder if – even with his/her quality of not having been made unsystematized

[HoneyLavender࿐]

Kuusi palaa.
I almost didn't put this one here because most of you have probably already heard about it and it isnt hard. But it was just too good to leave out. It's the best two word sentence in the Finnish language, because it has 9 meanings.

1. Kuusi palaa = The spruce is on fire.
"Kuusi" is a common tree in Finland known in English as a "spruce". "Palaa" means "to burn/be on fire". In this sentence it's in the "hän/se" form which happens to be the same as the basic form in this case.

2. Kuusi palaa = The spruce is returning.
"Palata" is a Finnish verb meaning "to return/come back". It's verb-type 4 so we remove the letter "t" and the "hän/se" form becomes "palaa".

3. Kuusi palaa = The number six is on fire.
"Kuusi" also means "the number 6"... which means you can also make the sentence...

4. Kuusi palaa = The number six is returning.
It sounds silly but remember, you could be referring to a sports player who wears the number 6 who has been injured for some time and is now returning. All of these sentences can be used in context.

5. Kuusi palaa = Six of them are on fire.
Kuusi doesn't always mean "the number 6". If there is a street containing 10 houses and six of them are on fire, you might say "kuusi palaa".

6. Kuusi palaa = Six of them are returning.
Ten of them walked into the forest. Six will return. "Kymmenen käveli metsään. Kuusi palaa"

7. Kuusi palaa = Your moon is on fire.
Kuu = moon. si = suffix that replaces the word "sinun". Kuusi = Sinun kuu = Your moon. I can't think when you'd use this, maybe in a sappy poem.

8. Kuusi palaa = You're moon is returning.
Even more ridiculous but a completely valid sentence.

9. Kuusi palaa = Six pieces.
Well, this is the only one that's not a complete sentence but it still is a translation of "kuusi palaa".
"Pala" means "piece" or "part" and because "kuusi" is a number, it becomes partitive so we add an "a".

[HoneyLavender࿐]

Vihdoin vihdoin vihdoin.
On the face of it, you think you're seeing "Finally finally finally". But you're not. These are actually 3 different words, that form a completely legit Finnish sentence. It means "I finally whipped myself with a birch branch". Allow me to put you out of your misery.

Vihdoin 1 = Finally

Vihdoin 2 = The basic form is "vihtoa". It's a verb meaning "to whip or strike" and it refers specifically to those branch thingys that Finns beat each other with in the sauna. It's verb type 1 so the past form becomes "vihdoi-" and the "-n" means that it's the "minä" form.

Vihdoin 3 = The basic form is "vihta". This is a noun. It's the name given to that leafy twig that Finns use for their perverse sauna activities. "Vihdoin" is "vihta" in the instructive case, so it means "using a vihta"

[HoneyLavender࿐]

Juoksentelisinkohan?
I like this word because it's a great example of how the Finnish language is simply wonderful. This word means "I wonder if I should run around aimlessly?". I just love that you can say that with one word. Here's how it works. You probably know the verb "juosta" meaning "to run". Well "juoksennella" means "to run around". This method is applied to other verbs too, the "lla" form of the verb is usually a more relaxed version of the original verb. For example "katsella" is a more relaxed form of "katsoa". "Minä katselen televisiota" means "I'm watching TV (but I'm doing it in a relaxed way, I'm not watching anything serious, I'm just relaxing and the TV happens to be on)"
So, then we have the "isi" part. This signals that the verb is in the conditional form. "Juoksentelisin" means "I would run around"
"ko" then makes it into a question and "han" is like saying "maybe".
Therefore "juoksentelisinkohan" becomes "I wonder if I should maybe, possibly, run around aimlessly"
Brilliant!

[Hot Dad]

jesus and to think i wanted to learn finnish once :, )

[Ventru]

Woah, this is awesome!
Finnish looks so insane to me.

[Nightbeast]

kukkuruuluu

[HoneyLavender࿐]

kukkuruuluu

terve vain