Which one should you use?
When referring to a black ball in games like billiards, snooker or pool, you can use either musta or the noun phrase musta pallo. To describe the black cloth traditionally hung up at funerals, use the noun phrase musta vaate.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes form depending on how it is used in a sentence. The base form is musta, as seen in musta talo (black house). Use the genitive form mustan to show possession or to modify a noun, such as in mustan auton (the black car's). When describing an uncountable amount of a substance, use the partitive form mustaa, for example mustaa mustetta (black ink). To describe multiple black objects in the partitive case, use mustia, such as in mustia koiria (black dogs).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmustɑ/
Did you know?
- In spoken Finnish, musta is often used as a shorthand for minusta, which means 'from me' or 'in my opinion'.
- In Finnish, the phrase mustaksi maalata (to paint black) can be used idiomatically to describe portraying someone in a negative light.
- The word for 'bilberry', mustikka, is derived from the root of musta because of the fruit's dark skin.
Examples in context
- Tämä kukka on musta.This flower is black.This sentence shows how to use musta to describe the color of a flower.Tatoeba #7425748 by Thanuir, translation #7327875 by MarijnKp
- Tomilla on musta tukka.Tom has black hair.This sentence demonstrates the use of musta when describing hair.Tatoeba #3072785 by Kalle63, translation #2548601 by CK
- Sinulla on musta silmä.You've got a black eye.This sentence illustrates the use of musta to describe a black eye.Tatoeba #3464364 by Orava, translation #3331082 by CK
- Musta autoBlack car
- Musta pukuBlack suit
- Musta kissaBlack cat
- Minulla on musta tukkaI have black hair
- 133 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Juho are looking at clothes in a store.
- SofiaHaluaisin ostaa tuon musta paidan.I would like to buy that black shirt.
- JuhoSe on todella hieno väri.That is a really nice color.
- SofiaOnko tätä paitaa myös valkoisena?Is this shirt also available in white?
- JuhoKyllä, mutta musta malli on suositumpi.Yes, but the black model is more popular.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black” translations and entries musta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries musta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
