When you're just starting out with Finnish, learning basic family words is really useful. Isä means 'father'. It's a core word for describing your family.
You'll hear this word a lot in everyday conversations, especially when people talk about their relatives. For example, you can say Minun isä, which means 'my father'.
It’s an easy word to remember and will help you quickly build simple sentences about family members. Knowing words like isä helps you connect with others and share basic information.
When talking about your own father, you can use the word isä. For example, if someone asks Kuka tuo on? (Who is that?), you can answer Hän on minun isä (He is my father). You might also hear isi, which is a more informal or affectionate way to say father, similar to 'dad' or 'daddy' in English. This is often used by children or in very casual conversations. So, isi is still 'father', but it has a warmer, more personal feel.
isä 30초 만에
- Core family member
- A common, essential noun
- Used daily
§ Family Talk
You'll hear 'isä' most often when people are talking about their families. It's a fundamental word for family members, just like in English.
Minun isä on kalastaja.
This means 'My father is a fisherman.' Simple, right? You can use it when introducing your father or talking about what he does.
Hänen isänsä asuu Tampereella.
Here, 'Hänen isänsä asuu Tampereella' translates to 'His/Her father lives in Tampere.' Notice how the possessive suffix -nsä is added to 'isä' to show 'his/her'.
§ Formal vs. Informal
While 'isä' is the standard word for father, you might also hear 'isi' or 'iskä' in more casual settings, especially among children or when speaking affectionately. However, as a learner, 'isä' is always safe and appropriate.
§ In Professional Contexts
Even in work or school environments, 'isä' comes up naturally in personal conversations. For example, if you're discussing weekend plans or family matters with colleagues, you might hear or use it.
Opettaja kysyi, mitä isäni tekee.
This translates to 'The teacher asked what my father does.' It's a common way to talk about parental occupations.
§ News and Media
In news articles or interviews, 'isä' is used when referring to a father in a story. It's neutral and descriptive.
Onnettomuudessa loukkaantuneen lapsen isä antoi lausunnon.
Here, 'Onnettomuudessa loukkaantuneen lapsen isä antoi lausunnon' means 'The father of the child injured in the accident gave a statement.' You can see it's used directly as a factual descriptor.
§ Key Takeaways
- DEFINITION
- father
- Use 'isä' for general conversation about fathers.
- It's appropriate in all contexts: casual, formal, and written.
- Listen for possessive suffixes like '-ni' (my), '-si' (your), and '-nsä' (his/her) when 'isä' is used with a possessive meaning.
Mastering 'isä' is a solid step in understanding basic Finnish family vocabulary. Keep practicing these examples, and you'll soon be using it naturally!
난이도
short
short
short
short
다음에 무엇을 배울까
다음에 배울 것
고급
수준별 예문
Minun isäni on kalastaja ja hän pitää merestä.
My father is a fisherman and he likes the sea.
Possessive suffix -ni (my) is used with isä (father).
Isäni opetti minulle, miten rakennetaan puumaja.
My father taught me how to build a treehouse.
Genitive case isäni (my father's) is used here, followed by a verb in the past tense.
Hän muistaa isänsä tarinat lapsuudestaan.
He remembers his father's stories from his childhood.
Possessive suffix -nsä (his/her) is used with isä (father).
Isä kävi eilen kaupassa ja osti maitoa.
Father went to the store yesterday and bought milk.
Isä (father) as the subject of the sentence.
Vietin lapsuuteni isäni maatilalla.
I spent my childhood on my father's farm.
Possessive suffix -ni (my) with isä (father), followed by the adessive case for location.
Isäni auto on punainen ja vanha.
My father's car is red and old.
Possessive suffix -ni (my) with isä (father), followed by the nominative case for the car.
Haluan kiittää isääni kaikesta tuesta.
I want to thank my father for all the support.
Partitive case isääni (my father) is used after the verb kiittää (to thank).
Tämä on paras lahja, jonka isäni on minulle antanut.
This is the best gift my father has given me.
Possessive suffix -ni (my) with isä (father), and antanut (given) in the perfect tense.
문법 패턴
문장 패턴
Minulla on [family member].
Minulla on isä. (I have a father.)
Tämä on [family member].
Tämä on isäni. (This is my father.)
[Family member] on [adjective].
Isä on vanha. (Father is old.)
[Family member] on [profession].
Isä on insinööri. (Father is an engineer.)
Missä [family member] on?
Missä isä on? (Where is father?)
Mitä [family member] tekee?
Mitä isä tekee? (What is father doing?)
[Family member] pitää [thing].
Isä pitää kalasta. (Father likes fish.)
Minä rakastan [family member].
Minä rakastan isää. (I love father.)
실생활에서 연습하기
실제 사용 상황
Talking about family
- Minun isä on pitkä. (My father is tall.)
- Hänen isänsä on lääkäri. (His father is a doctor.)
- Onko sinulla isää? (Do you have a father?)
Describing someone's role
- Hän on hyvä isä. (He is a good father.)
- Isä lukee kirjaa. (Father is reading a book.)
- Meidän isä tykkää kalastaa. (Our father likes to fish.)
Formal address (less common for 'isä')
- Arvoisa isä, tervetuloa. (Dear Father, welcome.) - *This is very formal and archaic, mostly used in religious contexts or very old texts.*
- Isä, milloin tulemme kotiin? (Father, when are we coming home?) - *Direct address in a family setting.*
Possession
- Isän auto on punainen. (Father's car is red.)
- Tämä on isän lahja. (This is father's gift.)
- Missä on isän puhelin? (Where is father's phone?)
Expressing feelings about father
- Rakastan isääni. (I love my father.)
- Kaipaan isää. (I miss father.)
- Olen ylpeä isästäni. (I am proud of my father.)
대화 시작하기
"Onko sinulla iso perhe? (Do you have a big family?)"
"Mitä isäsi tekee työkseen? (What does your father do for work?)"
"Onko sinun isälläsi harrastuksia? (Does your father have hobbies?)"
"Millainen isäsi on? (What is your father like?)"
"Vietätkö paljon aikaa isäsi kanssa? (Do you spend a lot of time with your father?)"
일기 주제
Kuvaile isääsi viidellä sanalla. (Describe your father in five words.)
Mitä isäsi opetti sinulle? (What did your father teach you?)
Kirjoita muisto isäsi kanssa. (Write a memory with your father.)
Mitä haluaisit sanoa isällesi? (What would you like to say to your father?)
Miten isäsi on vaikuttanut elämääsi? (How has your father influenced your life?)
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문The plural form of 'isä' is 'isät'. For example, 'Minun isät' means 'My fathers'.
To say 'my father', you would say 'minun isäni'. The '-ni' ending indicates possession for 'my'.
Yes, a common phrase is 'Hyvää isänpäivää!', which means 'Happy Father's Day!'. Another one is 'Isä ja äiti', meaning 'Father and mother'.
You could say: 'Minun isäni on pitkä.' (My father is tall.) or 'Hän puhuu isänsä kanssa.' (He talks with his father.)
'Isä' is the standard word for father and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
'Isä' is the standard word for father. 'Faija' is a more informal, slang term for father, similar to 'dad' or 'pa' in English.
Finnish nouns decline, they don't conjugate. For 'isä', some common cases are:
isä (nominative - father)
isän (genitive - father's)
isää (partitive - father (object))
isään (illative - into the father)
Typically, 'isä' refers to one's biological father. For stepfather, you would use 'isäpuoli', and for father-in-law, 'appi'.
For 'our father', you would say 'meidän isämme'. The '-mme' ending indicates possession for 'our'.
Similar to English 'daddy', Finnish children might use 'iskä' as a more affectionate or childish term for father.
셀프 테스트 18 질문
Minun ___ on pitkä. (My father is tall.)
The word 'isä' means father. The sentence describes the father's height.
Hänen ___ on töissä. (His father is at work.)
'Isä' is the correct word for father in this context.
Pieni tyttö rakastaa ___nsa. (The little girl loves her father.)
The sentence indicates a family relationship, so 'isä' fits the meaning of father.
Minun ___ lukee kirjaa. (My father is reading a book.)
To complete the sentence, we need the Finnish word for father.
Hän puhuu ___nsa kanssa. (He is talking with his father.)
The context implies a family member, and 'isä' means father.
Tämä on minun ___. (This is my father.)
The sentence introduces a person, and 'isä' is the correct word for father.
This sentence means 'My father is at home.' The possessive pronoun 'minun' (my) comes first, followed by the noun 'isä' (father), the verb 'on' (is), and the adverb 'kotona' (at home).
This sentence means 'His/Her father works in a shop.' 'Hänen' is the possessive pronoun, 'isänsä' is 'father' with the possessive suffix, 'työskentelee' is the verb 'works', and 'kaupassa' means 'in a shop'.
This question means 'Is your father at work?' 'Onko' is the question form of 'on' (is), 'sinun' is the possessive pronoun 'your', 'isäsi' is 'father' with the possessive suffix, and 'töissä' means 'at work'.
Minun ___ on opettaja ja hän pitää työstään kovasti. (My father is a teacher and he likes his job a lot.)
The sentence talks about a male parent who is a teacher, so 'isä' (father) is the correct choice.
Vietämme joulun aina yhdessä perheeni kanssa. ___ valmistaa parasta kinkkua. (We always spend Christmas together with my family. My father prepares the best ham.)
The context implies a family member who prepares a special dish for Christmas. 'Isä' (father) fits this role well.
Kun olin pieni, ___ luki minulle iltasatuja joka ilta. (When I was little, my father read me bedtime stories every night.)
The possessive suffix '-ni' indicates 'my father'. 'Isäni' is the correct form for 'my father'.
Hän kertoi, että hänen ___ on eläkkeellä ja nauttii rauhallisesta elämästä maaseudulla. (He said that his father is retired and enjoys a peaceful life in the countryside.)
The possessive suffix '-nsä' indicates 'his/her father'. 'Isänsä' is the correct form.
Lapset kysyivät, minne heidän ___ on mennyt kalastamaan. (The children asked where their father had gone fishing.)
The context clearly points to a male parent who is fishing. The possessive suffix for 'their' is '-nsä'.
Etsin kadonnutta kirjaani. Olenko nähnyt sen, ___? (I'm looking for my lost book. Have you seen it, father?)
This is a direct address to 'father'. 'Isä' is the vocative form.
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Knowing 'isä' is fundamental for talking about family in Finnish.
- Core family member
- A common, essential noun
- Used daily
