rintaliivit
/ˈrintɑˌliːʋit/plural
The Finnish word for bra is rintaliivit.
rintaliivit is the term used to refer to a brassiere.
Meaning: brassiere (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of rinta, meaning breast and liivit, meaning straps or suspenders.
How does it change in a sentence?
rintaliivit is a partitive plural noun and is almost always used in its plural form, similar to the English word 'trousers'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈrintɑˌliːʋit/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid attempting to use a singular form such as rintaliivi. The word is standardly used in the plural form rintaliivit.
Did you know?
- Because rintaliivit is a compound of 'breast' and 'vest', the word literally translates to 'breast-vests'.
- If a Finnish speaker wants to describe a 'sports bra', they use urheiluliivit. This maintains the liivi (vest) root even when the garment's function changes entirely.
- The term rintaliivit is used regardless of the style of the bra. Whether it is a push-up, balconette, or bralette, they are all grouped under this one general term.
Examples in context
- Bayalla oli rintaliivit päällä.Baya was wearing a bra.This sentence shows how to say someone is wearing rintaliivit.Tatoeba #8623009 by Silja, translation #7998111 by OsoHombre
- Sami varasti Laylan rintaliivit.Sami stole Layla's bra.This sentence demonstrates the use of rintaliivit in the context of theft.Tatoeba #8623008 by Silja, translation #6807101 by OsoHombre
- Nämä rintaliivit ovat tosi söpöt.The bra is very cute.This sentence is useful for describing rintaliivit as being cute.Tatoeba #8623005 by Silja, translation #6311418 by OsoHombre
- Suosittelemme oikean kokoisia rintaliivejä hyvän ryhdin ylläpitämiseksi.We recommend wearing properly sized bras to maintain good posture.
- Hei Maija, unohdin laittaa rintsikat pesukoneeseen.Hey Maija, I forgot to put my bras in the washing machine.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matti and Emma are shopping for clothes together.
- MattiEtsitkö sinä uusia rintaliivejä?Are you looking for new bras?
- EmmaKyllä, nämä rintaliivit ovat liian pienet.Yes, these bras are too small.
- MattiHaluatko kokeilla toista kokoa?Do you want to try another size?
- EmmaKyllä, autatko minua löytämään ne?Yes, will you help me find them?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bra” translations and entries rintaliivit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rintaliivit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
