Nature & Outdoors

1. Suomi on tuhansien järvien maa

   SUO-mi on TU-han-sien JÄR-vien MAA

   Finland is the land of a thousand lakes

   Usage

   Used to describe Finland's natural landscape to a traveler

   Grammar Note

   Finland actually has about 188,000 lakes. "Land of a thousand lakes" is a famous nickname, an understatement

2. Metsässä on paljon marjoja

   MET-säs-sä on PAL-jon MAR-jo-ja

   There are many berries in the forest

   Usage

   Used to talk about berry picking in Finnish forests

   Grammar Note

   Finland's "Everyman's Right" (jokamiehen oikeus) allows anyone to pick berries on public or private land freely

3. Haluaisin nähdä revontulet

   HA-lu-ai-sin NÄH-dä RE-von-tu-let

   I would like to see the northern lights

   Usage

   Used to express a wish to see the northern lights in Finnish Lapland

   Grammar Note

   Best aurora viewing in Finland is in Lapland. Clear nights from September to March offer the highest chances

4. Tänä kesänä on keskiyön aurinko

   TÄ-nä KE-sä-nä on KES-ki-yön AU-rin-ko

   This summer there is the midnight sun

   Usage

   Used to explain the midnight sun phenomenon to a traveler in northern Finland

   Grammar Note

   In Finnish Lapland, the sun does not set for around 2 months in summer. Even Helsinki enjoys nearly 20 hours of daylight in June

5. Onko tämä kansallispuisto?

   ON-ko TÄ-mä KAN-sal-lis-puis-to

   Is this a national park?

   Usage

   Used to ask whether an area is a national park

   Grammar Note

   Finland has over 40 national parks. Nuuksio (near Helsinki) and Urho Kekkonen (Lapland) are among the most visited

6. Voin kuulla linnunlaulua

   VOIN KUUL-la LIN-nun-lau-lu-a

   I can hear birdsong

   Usage

   Used to appreciate birdsong in Finland's forests and natural areas

   Grammar Note

   Linnunlaulu compounds the genitive of lintu (bird) and laulu (song). Finland's national bird is the whooper swan (laulujoutsen); the European robin (punarinta) is a common songbird

7. Järvessä voi uida

   JÄR-ves-sä VOI UI-da

   You can swim in the lake

   Usage

   Used to say that swimming in a lake is allowed or possible

   Grammar Note

   Finnish lakes are exceptionally clean. Under Everyman's Right, anyone may swim in public waterways freely

8. Täällä on kaunis lumihanki

   TÄÄL-lä on KAU-nis LU-mi-han-ki

   There is a beautiful snowfield here

   Usage

   Used to admire a beautiful snowy landscape in Finland

   Grammar Note

   Lumihanki compounds lumi (snow) and hanki (snow surface). Finnish has many words for different snow conditions

9. Voinko kalastaa täällä?

   VOI-nko KA-las-taa TÄÄL-lä

   Can I fish here?

   Usage

   Used to ask permission to fish in a lake or river

   Grammar Note

   Under Everyman's Right, basic rod fishing is free in Finland. Some waters require a fishing permit (kalastuslupa)

10. Kuinka syvä tämä järvi on?

    KUI-nka SY-vä TÄ-mä JÄR-vi on

    How deep is this lake?

    Usage

    Used to ask a local or guide about the depth of a lake

    Grammar Note

    Most Finnish lakes are shallow. Lake Saimaa is home to the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, found nowhere else

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