We have selected several proverbs that most clearly reflect the characteristics of the Finnish character and attitude.
Finns are very persistent and if they take on something, they do it thoroughly and with all seriousness. This quality of the people of Finland is reflected in the saying: "the ability to make bread from a stone".
In Finland they are very careful about what they say. Words here are not just spoken for the sake of chatter. Having become closely acquainted with the Finns, you are not surprised by the proverb: “Saying a word is the same as doing it” or “Think about it for at least a week, but say it clearly”.
Finns are laconic and usually in public places It is difficult to hear loud conversations or arguments: “A loud voice is a sign of emptiness” confident in Finland. And about the proverb “They take the bull by the horns, but take a man at his word” we already mentioned earlier in the note about.
Finns are hospitable people. The proverb says this: “Gathering spikelets will not make you rich; treating a guest will not make you poor.”. And indeed, although frequent visits to each other’s homes are not accepted in Finland, if you are invited to visit, the hosts will approach this event with all seriousness.
Finns tend to respect their own and other people's time. Perhaps this quality is defined by the proverb: “There is one law for the guest and the fish: they go rotten in three days.”
Finns are law-abiding and the country respects the law. This can be seen in the order that prevails in everyday life in Finland. Finnish folk wisdom and these qualities did not go unnoticed: “Cleanliness is not done, but maintained”, or “Where the law is powerless, grief is all-powerful”.
It's no secret that Finland and sauna are almost synonymous words. There are a lot of sayings about the sauna in Finland. "The sauna is medicine for the Finn".
Another important feature of the people of Finland is their hard work, serious attitude to work, professionalism even in the smallest details. There are a huge number of proverbs and sayings in Finland on the topic of work, where laziness and unwillingness to work are ridiculed in the most ironic ways: “The lazy man is the brother of the thief”, “The lazy man is rarely lucky”.
There is an opinion about the slowness of the Finns. But, plunging into Finnish culture and trying to understand the Finnish way of thinking and living, it becomes obvious that this is a big misconception. Finns are not characterized by slowness, but by an aversion to any haste and a self-ironic attitude towards this stereotype. And, of course, Finnish proverbs very subtly notice these features: “It’s better to think for a day than to do something wrong for a week”, “Let’s sit down and let the rush pass by”.
In Finland, the education system is designed in such a way that people study throughout their lives, and even into retirement age. They probably follow the saying: “Not the worker who is looking for a job, but the one whom the job is looking for”.
And finally fishing as a form of Finnish national sport and a hobby for most of the inhabitants of Finland. “There is something in the river: not snags, but pikes”, “They curse the ruff when they catch it and bless it when they eat it”.
Sayings and proverbs are inherent in every nationality. This is a historical property and cultural heritage a single nationality. Simple, but at the same time interconnected words can fully tell about the way of life and the life of the nation as a whole.
Finnish sayings and proverbs not only reflect the life of the Finns, but also give “practical advice” from predecessors to representatives modern Finland. Each proverb or saying is applicable in almost any life situation. Many similar aphorisms are found in other nationalities and nationalities of the world. An example of Finnish proverbs that are consonant with Russian sayings: “Don’t teach a scientist,” “Don’t buy a pig in a poke,” “If you hurry, you’ll make people laugh.”
Aphorisms about hard work
Most sayings are related to hard work Finnish people. Labor is very important for a nation, since harsh climatic conditions do not allow something to be done poorly. A striking example there may be a proverb: “Good things are not born in vanity,” which means “If you want to get a good result, take your time and work” or “Labor-made bread is the most delicious.”
Hard work is a characteristic feature of the Finnish people - “Days continue with nights,” which means, if you don’t have time to finish something during the day, finish it at night. “There is a long stump of fire ahead” - any work must be done sooner or later. “Talking won’t get better”—words are of little use; we must act.
Household proverbs and sayings
Finnish sayings and proverbs on everyday topics are very common among Finns; they carry simple and understandable truths for every person:
- “There are two sides to a case” - one and the same case can be viewed from different angles.
- “Nothing will change for the better if you sit and grieve” - you need to act, tears will not help solve the problem. Another version of the proverb goes like this: “Tears will not help at the fair.”
- “Don’t go picking berries with the masters - they’ll take away both the berries and the berries” - don’t trust the promises of people who have power, that is strong of the world this.
- “A gift promised is a gift given” - promises must be kept.
- “Like a warrior, so is his weapon” - everyone gets what he deserves, which corresponds to his position.
- “Let it snow in the hut” - no matter what happens, we are ready for anything, we are not afraid.
- “The beginning is always difficult, but then, in the end, there will be gratitude” - starting any business is difficult.
- “Mother is dear, but father is much more expensive” - they say this because the head of the Finnish family is only a man, as a counterbalance to this another saying is used - “A poor man has one support - his wife.”
- “The matter is beefsteak” - everything is clear, everything is clear, the issue is resolved.
- “A husband without a wife is like a barn without a roof” or “A husband without a wife is like a sauna without heat” - family values and family for the Finnish nation has always been and will be in first place in their lives.
Proverbs and sayings about fishing
The land of a “thousand lakes” is known for its abundance of fish, and for good reason, because fishing is one of the oldest crafts in Finland. Naturally, there are many proverbs and sayings related to fishing; every third proverb of the Finnish nation concerns the topic of fishing:
- “Give Antti some perches, and Pekka some small fish,” this is what Finnish fishermen say when they put the first bait on the hook.
- “A big fish is worth catching, even if you can’t catch it” - a focus on results should always be inherent in everything.
- “When you catch a ruff, you first curse it, and then when you cook it, you rejoice” - any catch is good.
- “You’ll learn to fish from hunger” - don’t be afraid to do what you don’t know how to do, everything comes with experience.
- “For a hungry person, food tastes better and there is no need to add salt.”
Sayings and proverbs about the sauna
A traditional form of rest and relaxation for Finns is, of course, a sauna. A large number of Finnish aphorisms are associated with this word. For example, “If the sauna, perfumes and resins did not help, then the person will either die or become terminally ill” or “The sauna is the best medicine for a poor person”, “Anyone who is able to get to the sauna can use it.”
Everyday Finnish aphorisms
Life dictates its conditions and there is no escape from them. Valuable advice that publicly state Finnish sayings and proverbs will help you understand the Finnish mentality and character traits nations, and also bear philosophical meaning something to think about.
- “Before even a cat has time to say it,” something will happen very quickly.
- “Help a person on the mountain, not under the mountain” - help a person only when he needs your help.
- “Don’t draw the devil on the wall, he will appear when he wants” - don’t exaggerate the danger of something, don’t incite fear, don’t make things up.
- “Let the woman turn away from the path” - the words or replica of a person who is ready to fight, despite the fear of defeat.
- “Know your own worth, and don’t forget to value others” - someone else’s point of view, customs and traditions must be respected and valued as much as your own.
- “The dog that barks does not bite” - not every threat is translated into action; you should not be afraid of a person who criticizes or vilifies someone.
- “Whatever bird is given a voice, so it sings” - a person can only do what he is really capable of, you can’t jump over your head.
- “In one era is the beginning of a thousand eras” - this means that if you save, you can accumulate a significant amount.
- “Don’t lick it until it drips” - don’t rejoice ahead of time, otherwise nothing will work out.
- “Don’t hit the beaten person” - don’t punish someone who is already punished.
- “They don’t give horns to a vigorous person” - this is what they say when a person does not have the opportunity to do something to the detriment of others, although he really wants and strives for it.
- “It’s better to sit poorly than to stand well.”
Conclusion
Proverbs and sayings are a heritage that arose thanks to the observations of our ancestors. The meaning contained in them remains unchanged over many centuries. Absolutely all aphorisms of the Finnish people were passed down from generation to generation, from mouth to mouth. Modern proverbs, inspired by time, do not have the significant philosophical information that the ancestors collected and passed on to their descendants from century to century.
To find out what Finns consider the most important in life, what they are afraid of, what seems unacceptable to Suomi residents, but that they are madly in love, you don’t have to move to permanent place residence in Finland. Just read Finnish proverbs and sayings – believe me, it’s not boring at all.
Finns
About laziness
The most terrible sin Finns consider laziness. What is not said in local proverbs and sayings about people who do not particularly like to work. Listen to: “The lazy man is the brother of the thief,” “The lazy man is rarely lucky,” “The diligent man has all sorts of happiness, the lazy man has one misfortune,” and even: “The sleepy stem is the first to wither.” Finns also love to joke with themselves. If they feel that they are not working hard enough, Suomi residents often say: “I’m not afraid of work - I dare to even lie down next to work.”
About poverty and wealth
Finns believe that in life everything depends on the person himself, that hardworking and diligent people achieve prosperity and success, and the poor and unfortunate are to blame for their failures. This was also reflected in folk wisdom. It says respectfully about the rich: “A rich man has a penchant for money”, “Money and the law will enchant”, “The master is entitled to half even in hell”, “It’s good to be rich, it’s good to live healthy.”
But poor people, and especially those living in debt, do not evoke much respect among the inhabitants of the Land of a Thousand Lakes: “The debtor’s economy is like a leaky boat,” “The poor take on debt for a long time.”
But at the same time, Finns are sure that money is not the most important thing in life, and without peace, love and honor, wealth means nothing: “It is better to be penniless than helpless,” “It is better to have honor in poverty than shame in wealth,” “It is better to be to be an honest sinner than a pious deceiver.”
About the sauna
For Finns, it is not just a place to wash, but also a haven for the soul, a national philosophy and a cure for all illnesses. They treat her almost like a living person, saying: “A house without a mistress is like a sauna without heat.” When they have a cold or other minor illness, the first thing Finns do is go to the sauna, because “If wine, resin and the sauna do not help, then the disease is incurable.” If their souls are heavy, they go there, confident that “Anger and hatred burn out in the sauna.”
And, of course, Finns are sure that the right to go to the sauna is as sacred for everyone as the right to live and breathe. No wonder they say: “Anyone who can reach it can use the sauna” and “The sauna is a poor man’s pharmacy.”
About what you need to be
Residents of Suomi believe that a respectable citizen should be laconic (“Listen more, talk less”), persistent (“Be able to make bread from stone”), calm (“A loud voice is a sign of emptiness”), and always keep promises (“Take an oath - it doesn’t matter what to do”) and not enter into conflicts (“Whoever has the sheath in sight has the knife in the blood”). And, of course, standing out too much from others is, according to the Finns, a disadvantage, not an advantage. “The white hen becomes the hawk’s first prey,” they say.
About pity
The harsh one has pity northern people not in honor. “Suffer, suffer - you will receive a brighter crown,” Finns usually say to those who like to talk for hours about their problems. “Pity is destructive and contagious” and “We get pity for free, but envy still needs to be earned,” old Finnish sayings categorically state.
About nature
Finns traditionally treat nature with extreme care, and therefore it is about nature that they created one of their most touching sayings: “The sea sees, the forest hears.”
About life
Finns have a philosophical attitude towards life itself. They rejoice at every hour they live, ironically saying, “Better one day alive than two days dead.” At the same time, the residents of Suomi calmly accept the fact that our existence in this world is not endless, asserting: “You will not leave life alive.”
About haste
Finns don’t like to rush, believing that if you rush, you won’t do anything worthwhile. Dozens of Finnish proverbs speak about this: “Good things come slowly”, “Whichever rooster crows first, the hawk will get it first”, “That’s why puppies and blind people are born quickly”, “We are rarely in a hurry, but on business - never at all”, “Let’s sit and wait until the rush passes”, “Slowly you will get far, with dancing you will soon get tired.”
About fishing
Fishing is an important part of the life of every Finn, and therefore it is not at all surprising that in this country it is mentioned in almost every third proverb and saying. “There is one law for the guest and the fish: after three days they go rotten, and the whole family begins to get angry with them,” say the Finns, showing that hospitality should not be abused. “They curse the ruff when they catch it and bless it when they eat it,” says the proverb, asserting that the result is more important in any business. “The ruffe has the same amount of intelligence as the whale fish,” the Finns say when they want to say that the presence of intelligence does not depend on appearance and size.
Proverbs and sayings similar to Russian
Some Finnish proverbs and sayings completely coincide in meaning with Russian ones. True, it is quite difficult to immediately guess that these are twin proverbs.
- “Give Antti, perches, Pekka, small fish,” Finns traditionally say when they go to the lake with a fishing rod. In Russia, in such cases they usually say: “Catch a fish, big and small.”
- “Don’t mistake a bone for meat, a lamb’s head for a steamed turnip,” says a Finnish proverb. Its Russian equivalent is much shorter: “Face the truth”
- “Don’t buy a pig in a sack,” the Finns say. In the Russian proverb, instead of a pig, there is a cat in the bag.
- The Finnish proverb “Let it snow in the hut” is an analogue of the Russian “Come what may.”
- “Nothing will change if you just sit and grieve,” say the Finns. The Russians say: “Tears cannot help your grief.”
Sayings in Finnish
Finnish proverbs and sayings - great way learn the language of the land of a thousand lakes. They are easy to remember and sound much more interesting than dry phrases from textbooks. For example:
- Koiralle koiran kuolema (“A dog will die like a dog”) means that everyone gets what they deserve and has an almost complete Russian equivalent: “A dog’s death is a dog’s death.”
- Ei kala miestä hae, jollei mies kalaa (“The fish will not find a man if he does not go fishing”) - Suomi residents are sure that if you do nothing, you will get nothing.
- Ei oo lasta itkemätöntä, eikä kangasta katkeematonta (“There are no fabrics that do not tear, just as there are no children that do not cry”) - the Finns say when they want to say that everything in this world is subject to decay.
- Kuolema kuittaa univelat (“We’ll sleep it off in the next world”) and Kyllä haudassa aikaa maata on (“We’ll sleep it off in the grave”) - Finns are sure that life is not a time for carefree rest.
- Ei kukaan synny kirves kädessä (“No one is born with an ax in his hand”) - this Finnish proverb says that everything in life can be learned.
This review is about how Finns speak about their Russian neighbors, as well as about Finnish sayings about Russians, collected by the Russian-language foreign broadcast of the Finnish national television and radio station YLE.
In modern Finnish, even the word ryssä (Russia) itself is a derogatory nickname for Russians.
In modern Finnish, even the word ryssä (Russia) itself is a derogatory nickname for Russians. In the illustration modern picture from one of the Finnish forums - using a derivative of the word russia.
The picture is reminiscent of the Battle of Suomussalmi in December 1939 - January 1940, during the Soviet-Finnish War started by the USSR. The Finnish victory in this battle at the aforementioned village of the same name in northeastern Finland prevented the plans of the Soviet command to reach the Gulf of Bothnia, “cutting” Finland into two parts.
The picture shows Finnish soldiers and the name Suomussalmi is written in Finnish, and also contains two signatures. Below is their approximate translation. The top one reads: “Stopped at Suomussalmi.” And the bottom one clarifies: “Here the Russya (Russians) were stopped.”
It's not just Finns who think badly of Russians
But first, let's take a look at what we have already published in this unique series on how various peoples speak about Russians - from official foreign broadcasting different countries peace. In particular, we have already published notes on how Russians are assessed in Sweden.
"In 1957, at the height of" cold war", an official instruction was printed for Swedish naval sailors, which contains the section "Enemy". As you probably guess, the Russians were hiding under the guise of the enemy,” the Russian edition of the official Swedish foreign broadcaster, Radio Sweden, reported in 1999.
And she cited, for example, following examples from this brochure: “Russians clearly value maximum and total (as the brochure says) physical satisfaction. Drink to the bottom. Better a sumptuous feast occasionally and meager food between holidays than a little tasty every day.”
Or: “Great Russians have a highly developed instinct of herd behavior. Russians are showing strong love to the homeland - from attachment to the native hut to patriotism"; “Russians have a strong need for an idealized leader; “In relation to the outside world, Russians take a clearly arrogant position, which is probably compensation for the previously mentioned feeling of guilt and humiliation complex”; “Russians are characterized by a feeling of guilt, accompanied by a tendency to suspect everything the world"; “In difficult situations, Russians easily remain optimistic and just as easily manage without food and rest”; “The ability to withstand physical suffering among Russians is often combined with indifference to the physical suffering of others”; “Russians tend to be negligent in many things.” More excerpts from this program from the Russian edition of Radio Sweden.
The Danes also think about the Russians. But rarely. "By i Rusland!" - “A town in Russia!” That's what they'll say in Denmark if we're talking about about something vague, distant, or not at all relevant to the conversation... In the minds of the Danish man in the street, Russia continues to remain the same disastrous and gloomy place,” Copenhagen correspondent of the American foreign broadcasting radio station “Freedom”, Russian broadcast from 05/04/ 2007. We present here excerpts from the American broadcast, because Denmark has never broadcast in Russian to Russia, and in general, since 2004, the international department of Radio Denmark, also known as Voice of Denmark, which broadcast in English and Danish, has been closed.
In the Finnish language, even the word ryssä, russia, is a derogatory nickname, and Finnish sayings about Russians
And now to the attitude of the Finns towards the Russians. So, Finnish sayings about Russians. But before moving on to the promised note by the Russian edition of the Finnish national public broadcaster YLE about Finnish sayings about Russians, a few notes in this regard.
In Finnish, even the word ryssä (Russia) itself is a derogatory nickname adopted for Russians, and the pejorative connotation dates back to the attempts to subjugate Finland by the Russians in the last 150 years.
Finns continue to be wary of and not too fond of Russians. “It’s still difficult for Finns to recover from fear post-war years", wrote, for example, in her editorial column in August 2010, published in Kainuu, i.e. in the Finnish hinterland, the independent newspaper Kainuun Sanomat, which we published several years ago.
Returning to the name of Russians and Russia in Finnish. The officially accepted and inoffensive name of Russia in Finnish Venäjä, Vennaya - from “land of the Wends” (Vends - ancient Slavic tribe), and the official and inoffensive name of the Russians, respectively, is venäläiset (derived from the same Wends). The following note from a Finnish broadcaster mentions the word ryssä (Russian) and the fact that it now has an offensive connotation in Finnish.
And the note opens with the statement that the Russians have a “semi-contemptuous nickname for the Finns” “chukhna”. Note that the word “chukhna” (its derivative Chukhonets) comes from the Slavic word “chud”, which is what the Slavs used to call the Finno-Ugric peoples of the Baltic-Finnish group. In turn, the word “chud”, according to one version, comes from the meaning of “wonderful » , « stranger» , or« incomprehensible".
“You can remember... the (accepted among the Russians) semi-contemptuous nickname “chukhna”, collective for all Finno-Ugric peoples who lived in the neighborhood of the Russians. The Finns, however, do not remain in debt. In the Finnish language, there are a lot of proverbs and sayings in which the nickname ryssä appears - a once absolutely neutral name for a native of Russia, which over time turned into an offensive nickname.
Meanwhile, a couple of hundred years ago the word “Russia” was not an insult. A bit of etymology: the roots of the word go back to the Swedish language, the Finnish “ryussa” is a derivative of the Swedish ryska. Thus, the Finns, for example, officially translated the title of the Russian Tsar as Kejsari ja Itzewaldias yli koko Ryssänmaan - “emperor and autocrat of the entire Russian land,” where Russia is called Ryssänmaa. Therefore, the word “Russia”, which often appears in Finnish folklore, cannot be unambiguously considered derogatory - it is quite possible that in the context of its time it was not such.
Until the twentieth century, peasants in the town of Mäntyharju, near which the border between Sweden and Russia laid after the Treaty of Abo passed, said “menee Ruotsin puolelle marjaan”, “menee Ryssän puolelle marjaan”, that is, “go for berries on the Swedish/Russian side " The word Ryssä in this context had a purely toponymic meaning.
1. Build like St. Isaac's Cathedral (rakentaa kuin Iisakin kirkkoa) - this proverb, especially loved by Eastern Finns, is used when talking about something impossible that requires endless effort. The closest analogue in Russian is the expression “Sisyphean labor.” The roots of the saying go back to the nineteenth century, during the construction of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, which, as is known, took 40 years (1818-1858).
2. Siberia will teach - Siperia opettaa. This saying also originates from the times of autocracy, when Finland was part of Russia. As you know, criminals of all stripes were exiled to Siberia for breaking the law. The attackers from Finland did not escape this fate either. In this case, Siberia means a harsh school of life.
3. It’s cold, like the Russians in hell - kylmää kuin ryssän helvetissä. The saying is based on folk beliefs about the unbearable cold that reigns in certain regions of Russia in winter. A logical continuation of the saying about Siberia.
4. The Russian “soon” lasts three years - ryssän kohta on kolme vuotta - the proverb was adopted in everyday life in the Pohjanmaa region. It reveals the obvious mistrust that Finns feel towards the promises made by their eastern neighbors.
5. Peace in the country, and Russian in Moscow - rauha maassa ja venäläinen Moskovassa. A figurative expression meaning that things go well in Finland when neighbors do not interfere in the internal affairs of the country. The expression also appeared in the 19th century.
6. Russians have wide trousers and lush bread - ryssällä on leviät housut ja paksu leipä. A dialectal expression that was in use in Finnish Karelia. It was intended to emphasize the difference in customs adopted by the Finns and the Russians. While the Finns traditionally baked flat rye bread with a hole in the middle (reikäleipä) to make it easier to hang for long-term storage, the Russians baked fluffy loaves.
7. Give a Russian a penny, the Russian will be good - anna ryssälle raha, ei oo mies silloin paha. Humorous saying, relating to trade between Russians and Finns.
8. Perhaps the most famous and probably the most clearly negative saying about Russians is, of course, the following: “a Russian will remain a Russian, even if you fry him in oil” (ryssä on ryssä, vaikka voissa paistaisi). This proverb was especially diligently used after Finland gained independence and subsequent military conflicts with Russia. The interpretation of the saying is simple: human nature, despite all the tricks, does not change.
It's funny that the word ryssä comes after Civil War in Finland it was also used as a curse word in relation to the Finns themselves... as you can understand, “reds”. In Finland there was (and still exists, although it occupies a marginal position) Communist Party, whose adherents were popularly called “Russya,” emphasizing their leftist views. The tradition of calling the Red Finns “Russia” persisted at least until 1970,” noted the Finnish national public broadcaster YLE on 27/10/2015.
This review was prepared by the site on the basis of several indicated in the text, including Finnish foreign broadcasting in Russian, and a number of other sources.
