Finnish Genealogical Word List: Difference between revisions

This list contains Finnish words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a Finnish-English dictionary (see the "Additional Resources" section below).  

Finnish is related to Estonian and distantly related to Hungarian. It is not related to other European languages. The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. Until the end of the 1800s, records were kept in Swedish. For help reading those records, see the Swedish Genealogical Word List(31028). Some Latin phrases also appear in older Finnish parish registers. For help, use the Latin Genealogical Word List (34077).  

As you read Finnish records, be aware that the endings of most words vary with usage. One word in Finnish often translates into English as two or more words. For example, talo (house) changes to talossa (in the house).

Plurals. Finnish indicates the plural of a word in two ways:  

Possessives. In addition to or instead of using words like my and theirs, Finnish adds endings to words to show possession. If a word already has another ending on it, the possessive ending appears at the end of the word. For example, see how possessives change the words talo (house) and talossa (in the house):  

See Table 1 for a more complete description of possessives.  

Prepositions and postpositions. In English, words like in, on, with, before, and after are prepositions. They come before a noun. For example, in the house.  

Depending on the various grammar rules, Finnish prepositions may appear in one of three ways:  

  * They may be added to the noun. For example Helsinki becomes Helsinkiin (into Helsinki). Table 2, on the next page, contains other examples.

Word endings. Endings are also added to words for other grammatical purposes. See Tables 1 and 3 for other examples.  

Table 1. Possessive Endings

Table 2. Prepositional Endings on Nouns

Ending Basic Meaning Example Translation -a, -ä, -ta, -t of, some suku » sukua family » of a family -in by means of, with oma käsi » omin ksin one’s own hands » with one’s own hands -ine + a possessive ending (see Table 1) together with lapsi » lapsinensa or lapsineen child » together with his (her or their) children -ksi changed into, become vaimo » otti vaimoksi wife » took for a wife or became a wife -lla, -llä at, by, in Tampere » Tampereella Tampere » in (at) Tampere -lle to Tampere » Tampereelle Tampere » to Tampere -lta, -ltä from Tampere » Tampereelta Tampere » from Tampere -n of talo » talon väki house » people of the house -na, -nä as lapsi » lapsena child » as a child -ssa, -ssä in Helsinki » Helsingissä Helsinki » in Helsinki double vowel + n into Helsinki » Helsinkiin Helsinki » into Helsinki -sta, -stä from Helsinki » Helsingistä Helsinki » from Helsinki

Ending Basic Meaning Example Translation -t forms a plural talo » talot house » houses -ko, -k indicates a question Helsingissä » Helsingissäkö in Helsinki » in Helsinki? -ton without, -less, un- lapsi » lapseton child » childless -tta, -ttä (on verbs) without nähdä » näkemätt to see » without seeing -n, -t shows a direct object talo » näen talon talo » näen talot house » I see the house house » I see the houses

Ending: -lla, -ll followed by a form of the verb olla (to be): on, ei ole, oli, ei ollut, on ollut, or ei ole ollut Basic Meaning: shows possession or ownership (to have)  

<br>Spelling Changes  

When an ending is added to a word, the consonants within that word may also change. Consider the following examples:  

  k to (nothing) Ilmajoki to Ilmajoen

  kk to k kirkko to kirkon

  lt to ll ilta to illan

  mp to mm lampi to lammen

  n to s Heinonen to Heinosen

  nk to ng Helsinki to Helsingin

  nt to nn isnt to isnnn

  p to v orpo to orvon

  pp to p pappi to papin

  rk to r Turku to Turun

  rt to rr virta to virran

  s to d or t uusi to uuden, uuteen

  tt to t tytt to tytn

  uku to uvu suku to suvun

  vowel+t to vowel+d iti to idin

Written Finnish uses three letters in addition to the twenty-six letters used in the English alphabet: ä, ö, and for Swedish names, å. Finnish dictionaries and indexes, this word list, and the Locality Search of the Family History Library CatalogLook this term up in the glossary. all use the following alphabetical order:  

Finnish Genealogical Word List  

<br>Table of Contents Language Characteristics Additional Resources Key Words General Word List  

This word list includes only the words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For more help, use a Finnish-English dictionary. Several such dictionaries are available at the Family History LibraryLook this term up in the glossary. in the Scandinavia collection. Their call numbers begin with 494.541321. The following dictionary is also available on microfilmLook this term up in the glossary. for use in Family History CentersLook this term up in the glossary.:

Alanne, V. S. Suomalais-englantilainen suursanakirja [Great Finnish-English Dictionary]. 3rd ed. Porvoo: Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö, 1968. (FHL film 1224706 item 3.)

<br>Return to top of page  

For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriages. In the second column you will find Finnish words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined,and other words used in Finnish records to indicate marriage.  

  baptism kastetut, kaste-, ristimä-

  births syntyneet, synty-

  burials haudatut, hauta-, hauda-

  child lapsi

  christenings (See baptism.)

  confirmations rippilapset, ripille päässeet

  deaths kuolleet, kuoli-

  father isä

  husband mies, aviomies

  marriages vihityt, vihki-, naim-, avio-

  month kuukausi, kuu

  mother äiti

  name (given name) nimi, etunimi, kastenimi, ristimänimi

  name (surname) (suku)nimi

  parents vanhemmat

  parishs eurakunta, kunta

  wife vaimo, aviovaimo

  year vuosi, vuoden, vuonna

<br>Finnish Genealogical Word List  

Ä Numbers Dates

In this list, optional versions of Finnish words or variable endings are given in parentheses. Parentheses in the English column clarify the meaning.

<br>A  

  aamupäivä forenoon

  aateli(nen) noble

  aatelisto nobility

  aatto eve

  aika time, date

  aikainen early, (a.m.)

  aikaisempi earlier

  aikakauskirja periodical

  aikanaan in due time

  aina always

  ainoa only

  aivokuume encephalitis, inflammation of the brain

  aivotärähdys concussion

  ajaja coachman

  ajomies coachman

  ala, ali low(er), under

  alaikäinen minor, underaged

  alla under

  allekirjoittanut undersigned

  alue region, district

  alus ship

  ammatti profession, occupation

  annettu given

  anoppi mother-in-law

  appi father-in-law

  appivanhemmat parents-in-law

  apteekkari pharmacist, druggist

  arkisto archive

  arkistoluettelo archive list

  arvo title, rank, status

  asema station, class, standing

  asevelvollinen conscript soldier

  asiakirja document, record

  asua live, reside

  asuinpaikka place of residence

  asukas inhabitant, resident, lodger

  asunto residence

  asutuksen yleisluettelo general register of inhabitants

  a.u. illegitimate

  aukko gap (missing records)

  autio uninhabited

  avioero divorce

  avioliiton ulkopuolella illegitimate, out of wedlock

  avioliitto marriage

  avioliittoasiakirjat marriage documents

  aviomies husband

  avionrikkoja adulterer

  aviopari married couple

  aviopuoliso spouse

  avioton unmarried, illegitimate

  aviovaimo wife