Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| amerikkalainen | /ˈɑmerikːɑlɑi̯nen/ |
| yhdysvaltalainen | /ˈyhdysˌʋɑltɑlɑi̯nen/ |
These words are used to describe things pertaining to the U.S., its people, or its culture. They can also refer to an inhabitant of the Americas or a citizen of the United States.
Which one should you use?
While amerikkalainen is the most common term, it can technically refer to anyone from the Americas. In contrast, yhdysvaltalainen is more precise and is used specifically to refer to someone from the United States to avoid ambiguity.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Amerikkalainen is a common, widely understood term suitable for formal use. Yhdysvaltalainen is also used in formal contexts. For a slang option, jenkki is a colloquial term for an American person or something American, similar to 'Yank' in English.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes its ending based on its grammatical case. For example, amerikkalaisen is the genitive form used to indicate possession or as an object in certain cases and amerikkalaisille is a plural form used to mean 'to' or 'for' Americans.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɑmerikːɑlɑi̯nen/
Did you know?
- The colloquial term jenkki is derived from the English word 'Yank', but it is often used in Finnish in a way that feels more neutral or descriptive than the sometimes derogatory 'Yank' in English.
- The word yhdysvaltalainen is built from yhdysvallat, which literally translates to 'united states' using the words 'united' and 'states'.
- The phrase jenkkimuoti is sometimes used to describe a specific style of 'American fashion', showing how the slang jenkki creates its own compound nouns.
Examples in context
- Se on amerikkalainen yritys.It's an American company.This sentence shows how to use amerikkalainen to describe a company.Tatoeba #3203461 by Silja, translation #2025423 by Spamster
- Oletko amerikkalainen vai ranskalainen?Are you American or French?This sentence uses amerikkalainen to ask about someone's nationality.Tatoeba #3792801 by Silja, translation #70224 by CK
- Se oli suuri, musta amerikkalainen sotalaiva.It was a big black American warship.This sentence demonstrates the use of amerikkalainen as an adjective for a warship.Tatoeba #4198146 by Orava, translation #42247 by CM
- Tapasin juuri mukavan amerikkalaisen matkailijan.I just met a nice American traveler.
- Amerikkalaiset ovat tunnettuja ystävällisyydestään.Americans are known for their friendliness.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juho and Laura are discussing food at a cafe.
- JuhoOnko tämä amerikkalainen hampurilainen?Is this an American hamburger?
- LauraKyllä, se on amerikkalainen.Yes, it is American.
- JuhoSe näyttää todella hyvältä.It looks really good.
- LauraJuho, sinä tulet varmasti pitämään siitä.Juho, you will surely like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “american” translations and entries amerikkalainen, yhdysvaltalainen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amerikkalainen, yhdysvaltalainen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
