onnea
/ˈonːeɑ/
The Finnish phrase for congratulations is onnea. Wiktionary also lists onneksi olkoon.
Meaning: expressing approbation (intj)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| onnea | /ˈonːeɑ/ |
| onneksi olkoon | /ˈonːeksi ˈolkoːn/ (word by word) |
The word onnea is a versatile term used to express approbation. It is commonly used in short greetings, such as wishing someone good luck or saying happy birthday.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase onneksi olkoon literally translates to let it be for luck, derived from onni (luck/happiness) and olkoon (let it be).
Which one should you use?
onneksi olkoon is a more formal and standard way to express congratulations on an achievement compared to the shorter onnea.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈonːeɑ/
Did you know?
- The root onni is related to the concept of fate. In older Finnish folklore, luck was not seen as random chance but as a quality or a spiritual force that a person could possess.
- While onnea is the standard greeting, Finns may use the word syvimmät (deepest) alongside it, as in syvimmät onnittelut, to express profound congratulations for major life events like weddings.
- The word onneksi is the translative singular form of onni. This grammatical case is used here to express a change in state or a purpose, effectively turning 'luck' into 'for luck'.
Examples in context
- Kuulin, että voitit. Onneksi olkoon!I heard you won. Congratulations!This sentence demonstrates the use of onneksi olkoon when hearing about someone's victory.Tatoeba #4283990 by Orava, translation #870508 by sundown
- Onnea.Congratulations.This sentence shows the use of the short form onnea.Tatoeba #7935558 by Thanuir, translation #8462173 by shekitten
- Onneksi olkoon!Congratulations!This sentence shows the use of the phrase onneksi olkoon.Tatoeba #3229657 by Silja, translation #1437 by CK
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Juho are at a cafe celebrating Juho's graduation.
- LauraOnnea valmistumisesta, Juho!Congratulations on your graduation, Juho!
- JuhoKiitos paljon, Laura.Thank you very much, Laura.
- LauraOlet tehnyt hienoa työtä.You have done great work.
- JuhoSe oli todella vaikeaa.It was really difficult.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations and entries onnea, onneksi olkoon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (onneksi, olkoon) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries onneksi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
