Wednesday, March 11, 2015

How to use the Finnish word 'ympäri'

Here's a post about ympäri. For more examples, take a look at Kielitoimiston sanakirja. If you want to read exciting local news, try googling the name of your town with ympäri. 

Genitive ympäri means around something: (usually a whole round)


  • Juostaan järven ympäri! - Let's run around the lake!
  • Mä haluan matkustaa maailman ympäri. - I want to travel around the world.


Make ympäri into a preposition, and it means all around:


  • Kävelin koko yön ympäri Helsinkiä. - I spent the whole night walking all around Helsinki.
  • Miestä etsittiin ympäri maailmaa. - The man was searched for all around the world.


With time expressions, ympäri can be both ways:


  • Kauppa on auki ympäri vuorokauden. - The shop is open day and night.
  • Minä asun teltassa vuoden ympäri. - I live in a tent all year round. 


Ympäri can take these three local cases:


  • Ympärillä: Mitä toi ihottuma sun suun ympärillä on? - What is that rash around your mouth?
  • Ympäriltä: Ota sun kädet pois mun ympäriltä! - Take your hands off from around me!
  • Ympärille: Laita sun käsi mun kaulan ympärille. - Put your hand around my neck. 



This is a good song by Zen Café where they sing about a man from around whom the chairs are taken - Mies jonka ympäriltä tuolit viedään. (Such a simple expression in Finnish, so hard to translate.)

Ympäri mennään, yhteen tullaan is a Finnish proverb that means Around we go, together we come. Is there a similar one in your language?  



About the author of Random Finnish Lesson: 


My name is Hanna Männikkölahti. I am a professional Finnish teacher who gives private online lessons and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please read more in www.linktr.ee/hannamannikkolahti and follow this blog, if you want to be the first one to know when I post something new. 


3 comments:

Tommy Quist said...

A man, whose chairs are taken (away) from around him.

Tommy Quist said...

Alternatively if the man doesn't own the chairs, "A man, from around who(m) chairs are taken (away)."

In spoken language that "who(m)" will more likely be "which".

Anonymous said...

I think that would be "what goes around, comes around" in English...