Which one should you use?
While alkoholi is the general term, you might use alkoholijuoma to specifically mean an 'alcoholic beverage' in more formal contexts. If you are referring to specific drinks, you can use olut for beer or siideri for cider. In very informal speech, Kossu is used to refer specifically to vodka, as it is short for the brand Koskenkorva.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on how it is used in a sentence. Use the base form alkoholi (nominative) when it is the subject. Use alkoholin (genitive) to indicate possession or an 'of' relationship, such as 'the taste of alcohol'. Use alkoholia (partitive) when expressing an indefinite amount or when alcohol is the object of a negative sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɑlkoholi/
Did you know?
- In Finland, the government maintains a state-owned monopoly called Alko that is the only place to buy strong alkoholi in physical stores.
- The word alkoholi ultimately derives from an uncertain Arabic term.
- While alkoholi is the technical term, Finns often use the word viina to refer to strong spirits or vodka in a much more colloquial, everyday way.
Examples in context
- Minä en juo alkoholia.I don't drink alcohol.This sentence shows the use of the partitive form in a negative statement.Tatoeba #354477 by Hautis, translation #258477 by CK
- En pidä alkoholin mausta.I don't like the taste of alcohol.This sentence shows the use of the genitive form to indicate the taste of the substance.Tatoeba #5478315 by Orava, translation #5365034 by Hybrid
- Me joimme paljon alkoholia.We drank a lot of alcohol.This sentence shows the use of the partitive form to express an indefinite amount.Tatoeba #3203373 by Silja, translation #1120890 by cntrational
- Voinko tilata alkoholitonta juomaa?Can I order a non-alcoholic drink?
- Oletteko lisensoitu alkoholijuomien myyjä?Are you a licensed seller of alcoholic beverages?
- Mennäänkö ostamaan viinaa?Shall we go buy some alcohol?
- Kossu on suomalaisten suosikkijuoma.Koskenkorva vodka is a favorite drink among Finns.
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matti and Laura are discussing their plans for a party.
- MattiOnko juhliin hankittu jo alkoholi?Has the alcohol for the party been bought yet?
- LauraKyllä, ostin viiniä ja olutta.Yes, I bought wine and beer.
- MattiHieno juttu, kiitos Laura!Great, thanks Laura!
- LauraOle hyvä, Matti.You're welcome, Matti.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “alcohol” translations and entries alkoholi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alkoholi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
