How to kiss in Finnish

So many words to choose from! I've had to think about this a bit when simplifying novels into easy Finnish. In erotic and romantic scenes, the words are usually suudella and suudelma, and the rest of the verbs and nouns are for more casual kissing and kissing kids and animals. 

Kissing nouns in Finnish

Suudelma 

Suudelma is the standard Finnish word for a kiss. It can be any style or lenght, but it's usually between adult humans. I do not give a suudelma to my dog.

Suukko and pusu

I'd say that suukko and pusu are same kind of short kisses or pecks. For some reason, I usually use pusu. (Oh, if you haven't had Brunbergin Suukot yet, you should try them!)

Muisku 

Muisku is a smooch. I'd say that when giving muiskus, people also let out some kind of a sound. 

More kisses:

• kielisuudelma, kielari - a kiss with a tongue
• lentosuudelma, lentosuukko - a flying kiss, a blow kiss
• poskisuudelma - a kiss on the cheek

Other relevant nouns:

• suu - a mouth
• huulet - lips
• kieli - a tongue
• poski - a cheek
• kaula - a neck
• niska - back of the neck

Kissing verbs in Finnish

Just one kiss:

• antaa suudelma - to give a kiss
• antaa suukko - to give a kiss
• antaa pusu - to give a kiss
• pussata - to give a kiss, to kiss each other

Multiple kisses:

• suukotella - to give multiple kisses
• pussailla - to give multiple kisses or kiss each other many times
• Read more about frequentative verbs! 

One or many kisses: 

• suukottaa - to give a kiss, quite often to a specific place such as poski, a cheek. Then it would be suukottaa poskea and it can be one or many kisses.
• suudella - to give a kiss, or just kiss with somebody, or to kiss something

Kissing in easy Finnish novels

These ones are from Numeroruuhka:

A toddler giving the main character a wet smootch: 

Nyt Aino kipitti luokseni,

ja nostin sen syliini. 

Sitten se halasi minua

ja antoi minulle märän pusun.

The main character kissing a woman: 

Kannoin Ennin makuuhuoneeseen

ja laskin sen sängylle. 

Enni riisui paitansa 

ja suutelin sen rintoja.

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.