Confusingly similar words in Finnish

Here are some words that are annoyingly similar, especially if you're taking a certain exam and there is a risk that you will spend all your time talking about a wrong topic. I'll keep adding to this list as I notice more words that might be confusing.

• Aika is time. The genitive of aika is ajan, which is also the first person conjugation of ajaa, to drive.

• Eläin is an animal. Elämä is life.

• Kokemus is an experience. Kokous is a meeting. Kokoomus is The National Coalition Party.

• Kylä is a village, but it's also used in the expression käydä kylässä, to visit someone.

• Leikata is to cut. Leikkiä is to play as a child. 

• Liha is meat, lihava is fat, lihas is a muscle, and lihaksikas is muscular. 

• Liikenne is traffic. Liike is a movement or a store or a shop. Liikunta is sports.

• Luonto is nature. Luento is a lecture. Luonne is a personality, a temperament.

• Menestys is a success. Menetys is a loss.

• Menestyä is to succeed. Menehtyä is to die. 

• Muuttaa is just tricky in general, so you should read this post.

• Ohjelma is a programme. Ongelma is a problem.

• Patient is either a noun potilas or an adjective kärsivällinen.

• Rakkaus is love. Raskaus is pregnancy. Raiskaus is a rape.

• Rukata is to fix a little bit. Runkata is to masturbate.  In newspapers, rukata is often in the past tense rukkasi, and it really makes you want to read the text twice. 

• Sää is a weather. Säästää is to save, as in to save money. Säästä is both about the weather and the command Save!

• Tapaaminen is a meeting. Tappaminen is killing. 

• Terveellinen is healthy. Turvallinen is safe. 

• Valita is to choose. Valittaa is to complain. Välittää is to care or to pass on. 

• Varata is to book or to reserve. Varastaa is to steal. Verrata is to compare.

• Viallinen is faulty. Virallinen is official. Vaarallinen is dangerous. 

• Mä tapaan sut. Mä tapan sut. You must know this one!

• Olen pahoillani is I'm sorry. Paholainen is a devil.

About the author of this 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.