MEANING:
Verb (type 1): to shut down, close, abolish, suspend, etc.
Lakkauttaa appears in our example sign in the passive past participle form, lakkautettu.
DERIVED FROM:
Lakkauttaa is the causative form of the verb lakata (“to cease”)
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the sign, ”Kirjastoauton pysäkki on lakkautettu vähäisen käytön vuoksi” or ”Library bus stops have been discontinued due to low use.”
MEANING:
Adjective: endangered (facing the danger of extinction.)
DERIVED FROM:
Uhanalainen comes from uhan (“of threat”) + alainen (“lying underneath,” or ”subject to” or ”under” when as the latter part of a compound word.)
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the rest of the flyer. Uhanalainen? Konduktööri on junassa sinua varten or ”The conductor is on the train for you.”
The photo comes from a current campaign that’s underway to save the conductors on Finnish commuter trains. Read about it at http://uhanalainen.fi/
MEANING:
Verb: dwindle, decrease, shrink, vanish, etc.
Huveta appears in our example in its past participle form, huvennut.
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the headline, ”Jää lähes huvennut. Pilkkijöitä liikkuu silti pääkaupunkiseudulla” or maybe ”Ice nearly gone. Ice fishermen still on the move in the metropolitan area.”
MEANING:
Noun: portion, serving, dose.
(Shown is one portion of spaghetti or ”pasta-annos”.)
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the whole headline, ”Selvitys: Uudelleen lämmitetty pasta-annos lihottaa vähemmän kuin vasta keitetty pasta” or ”Report: A reheated pasta portion fattens less than fresh-cooked pasta.”
MEANING:
Compound noun: Class reunion.
DERIVED FROM:
Luokkakokous comes from luokka (”class”) and kokous (”meeting.”)
EXTRA CREDIT:
Luokkakokous is also the name of a 2015 Finnish comedy Luokkakokous from director Taneli Mustonen and starring Aku Hirviniemi, Jaajo Linnonmaa, Sami Hedberg.
MEANING:
Verb: to straighten, to stretch, etc. (many meanings, so check sanakirja.org for more.)
Ojentaa appears in the 2nd person singular imperative form, ojenna.
DERIVED FROM:
Ojentaa is derived from oikea (”right” or ”correct”)
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the phrase from the children’s book Meidän vauva osaa (”Our Baby Can”).
”Ojenna varpaat suoriksi” means”stretch your toes out straight.”
MEANING:
Phrase: due date (expected date of birth).
Laskettu aika appears in our example in the essive case, ”laskettuna aikana” which translates as ”on the due date.”
DERIVED FROM:
Laskettu is the past participle of laskea (”to count” and several other meanings).
Aika means ”time.”
EXTRA CREDIT:
Let’s translate the phrase ”Harva vauva syntyy laskettuna aikana” or ”Few babies are born on the due date.”
MEANING:
Noun: hippopotomus.
DERIVED FROM:
Virtahepo comes from virta (“river”) + hepo (“horse”).
EXTRA CREDIT:
Virtahepo is a calque of Ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos, “horse”) + ποταμός (potamós, “river”), ”riverine horse”.
Finnish Word of the Day 