Bedeutung
To start making good progress.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Sailing is a deeply rooted part of Finnish identity due to the archipelago. Many idioms in Finnish are nautical, reflecting a history of seafaring and fishing. In Finnish corporate culture, using nautical metaphors is seen as professional and grounded. It avoids the 'hype' of English buzzwords while still sounding dynamic. Finns often prefer idioms that describe a situation progressing (like wind in sails) rather than taking full personal credit. It sounds more natural and less boastful. The phrase dates back to the era of wooden trade ships in the Baltic. The 'wind' was literally life or death for trade, which is why the metaphor is so powerful.
Use with 'Vihdoin'
This idiom pairs perfectly with the word 'vihdoin' (finally) because it implies a previous period of struggle or waiting.
Don't forget the Partitive
Saying 'ottaa tuuli' sounds like you are grabbing a specific person named Wind. Always use 'tuulta'.
Bedeutung
To start making good progress.
Use with 'Vihdoin'
This idiom pairs perfectly with the word 'vihdoin' (finally) because it implies a previous period of struggle or waiting.
Don't forget the Partitive
Saying 'ottaa tuuli' sounds like you are grabbing a specific person named Wind. Always use 'tuulta'.
Business Context
In a job interview, use this to describe how you turned a failing project around. It sounds very professional.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word in the correct form.
Uusi yritys alkoi hitaasti, mutta nyt se on vihdoin ____ tuulta purjeisiin.
We use the perfect tense 'on ottanut' to describe a change that has happened and is continuing.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Valitse oikea lause:
The idiom is used for figurative progress, like a mobile app succeeding in the market.
Match the Finnish phrase with its English equivalent.
Yhdistä parit:
These are all related to progress but have slightly different nuances.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: 'Miten sun uusi kirja edistyy?' B: 'Alku oli vaikea, mutta nyt se on vihdoin ____.'
The standard form uses 'tuulta' (partitive) and 'purjeisiin' (illative plural).
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenUusi yritys alkoi hitaasti, mutta nyt se on vihdoin ____ tuulta purjeisiin.
We use the perfect tense 'on ottanut' to describe a change that has happened and is continuing.
Valitse oikea lause:
The idiom is used for figurative progress, like a mobile app succeeding in the market.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
These are all related to progress but have slightly different nuances.
A: 'Miten sun uusi kirja edistyy?' B: 'Alku oli vaikea, mutta nyt se on vihdoin ____.'
The standard form uses 'tuulta' (partitive) and 'purjeisiin' (illative plural).
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, almost exclusively. It implies progress toward a goal or success. You wouldn't use it for something getting worse.
Yes, 'saada tuulta purjeisiin' is very common and means the same thing, though it sounds slightly more like the success was granted to you.
Absolutely. It's common in both written and spoken Finnish.
Yes, you can say a person's career or studies 'otti tuulta purjeisiin'.
A good opposite would be 'polkea paikallaan' (to tread in place) or 'vastatuulessa' (in a headwind).
Yes, the idiom is fixed in the plural. 'Purjeeseen' (singular) would sound literal and strange in a figurative context.
No, that would be too literal. Use 'kiihtyä' for physical acceleration.
It's neutral. It's safe for work, news, and friends.
Because 'wind' is an uncountable substance and the action of 'taking' it is seen as partial or ongoing.
No, 'ilma' (air) doesn't work here. It must be 'tuulta' (wind).
Verwandte Redewendungen
saada tuulta purjeisiin
synonymTo get wind in one's sails.
myötätuulessa
similarIn a tailwind.
vastatuulessa
contrastIn a headwind.
tuulesta temmattu
confusingPlucked from the wind (made up/untrue).
saada nostetta
similarTo get lift.
