Assorted 'useful' foreign phrases

These phrases come mainly from phrasebooks and language courses. Some of them are intended to illustrate particular grammatical points, others I just found amusing. Finding occasions to use them might be quite challenging, but you'll probably have fun trying. Maybe you could use them as ice breakers, chat-up lines, as part of a comedy routine, or for some surreal conversations.

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Finnish

Itket ja sipuli nauraa.
You're crying and the onion is laughing.

Onko viikinki kissa?
Is the cat a Viking?

Onko sinulla oma linna?
Do you have your own castle?

Tanssin harvoin tangoa.
I rarely dance the tango.

Vihreä pöllö puhuu suomea.
The green owl speak Finnish.

Pesen koiraa ja kissat nauravat.
I'm washing the dog and the cats are laughing.

Yrittävätkö nuo kissat tanssia tangoa?
Are those cats trying to dance the tango?

Mustat koirat tanssivat taas tangoa.
The black dogs are dancing the tango again.

Iso pupu on outo laulaja.
The large bunny is a weird singer.

Poni potkaisee velhoa.
The pony kicks the wizard.

Nuo pöllöt yrittävät potkaista lelua.
Those owls are trying to kick the Toyota.

Vau! Viikinki tanssii hyvin!
Oh wow! The viking dances well!

Koira puraisee ja sipuli itkee.
The dog bites and the onion cries.

Oranssi kissa on tosi painava.
The orange cat is very heavy.

Mielestäni teillä on söpö presidentti.
I think you have a cute president.

Käyhän että tuon kannettavani saunaan?
Is it OK if I bring my laptop in the sauna?

Oho! Tota noin ... eihän se vaa ollu' sun ajokoira?
I'm awfully sorry ... was that your ferret?

Kuu kuulee, että tähti laulaa hiljaa.
The moon can hear that the star is singing quietly.

Tuo pieni valkoinen pupu on todella vaarallinen.
That small, white bunny is really dangerous.

Kuussa on mies, koira ja paljon juustoa.
There is a man, a dog and lots of cheese on the moon.

Herra Sininen Taivas? Miksi tuo pieni puu tanssii?
Mr Blue Sky. Why is that small tree dancing?

Morsian on nainen ja sulhanen on siili.
The bride is a woman and the groom is a hedgehog.

Apua vessassa on hirvi!
Help, there is a moose in the restroom!

Viikingit ovat pulassa ruuhkassa.
The Vikings are in trouble in the traffic jam.

Minä puhun kieltä, jota metsät ja suot puhuvat.
I speak the language that forests and bogs speak.

Kuu kuuntelee kun tähti laulaa.
The moon listens when the star sings.

Tämä biisi svengaa kuin hirvi.
This song grooves like a moose.

Osaavatko kaikki pingviini pelaa jääkiekkoa?
Can all penguins play ice hockey?

Tämä pingviini pelaa jääkiekkoa.
This penguin plays ice hockey.

Tuo hai on hyvä pokerissa.
That shark is good at poker.

Sources: http://www.expat-finland.com/living_in_finland/finnish_jokes.html, and Duolingo

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People who have contributed to this section

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Finnish | Useful Phrases | Silly Phrases Numbers | Time | Family words | Weather words | Tongue twisters | Tower of Babel | Learning materials

Silly phrases

My hovercraft is full of eels | Stop the world, I want to get off! | Say cheese! | Colorless green ideas sleep furiously | I am the king of the chickens | Thingamajig

Silly phrases in particular languages

Czech, Danish, Dutch, Esperanto, Finnish German, Romanian, Russian, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish, Swedish, Welsh

Other phrases

Index by phrase | Index by language | Index by language family | Phrase finder

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