Between the country’s young prime minister who isn’t afraid to hit the dance floor (and get drug tested) and its numerous innovations, Finland may not make international headlines every day, but it sure has its share of unique personalities and practices.
Case in point: here are six untranslatable Finnish words that convey concepts that can’t be concisely expressed in English.
1. Hyppytyynytyydytys
Don’t worry, nobody fell asleep at the keyboard – “hyppytyynytyydytys” does actually have nine “y”s out of 18 letters. For an English speaker it might look like gibberish, but it’s really a strange spelling for a word with an equally surprising meaning.
It refers to the satisfaction – even joy – that one feels when one settles into a soft cushion. The fact that there is a precise term for this small daily pleasure is testament to the linguistic richness of the Finnish language.
2. Pukukummitus
If you work in an office you probably know a “pukukummitus”. This word comes from a combination of the Finnish words for “suit” and “ghost”, and refers to that colleague who dresses very formally and professionally, but doesn’t put as much effort into their daily tasks.
In other words, they don’t do much – proof, if any were needed, that appearances are often deceiving.
3. Peräkammarin poika
French speakers call them “Tanguy”, in reference to the eponymous character of Etienne Chatiliez’s 2001 film. The word “twixter” has been used in the United States, while Finns prefer the term “peräkammarin poika” to categorise these individuals.
The literal meaning is “the boy who lives in the room at the back of the house” – an untranslatable term that refers to young men who usually live in the countryside, looking after the family farm, who have not found a partner to support them, forcing them to remain single.
4. Jokamiehenoikeus
The people of Finland share this concept with Swedes, Norwegians and Estonians. “Jokamiehenoikeus” refers to the fundamental right to enjoy nature freely, regardless of the property rights that may govern access to it.
This concept shows the importance given to the environment and the protection of green spaces in the northern European countries. In fact 87% of Finns say that nature is “very” or “fairly” important in their lives, according to a survey.
5. Kalsarikäänit
It may be a Finnish concept but it probably speaks to many people around the world – even if they don’t have a word for it in their native language. “Kalsarikäänit” refers to drinking alcohol at home, alone, in your underwear…. a practice that the pandemic and its successive lockdowns made even more popular.
Koreans have a similar expression to describe this phenomenon: “homsul”. It, however, does not mention underwear.
6. Sisu
The Finnish are proud of their “sisu” concept: it literally means “guts”, although its precise origins remain a mystery. This philosophy became a founding myth of Finland during the Winter War in 1939, when the country was invaded by the Soviet Union – sisu was the only thing the Finns had in greater quantity than the Soviets, which helped them triumph.
The concept encompasses several positive character traits such as stoicism, courage, tenacity and resilience. But one researcher, who surveyed 1,200 Finns about the meaning of the word, found that respondents also associated it with poor mental health, an inability to empathise with the suffering of others, and not knowing how to give up on something.