kirjeet
The Finnish phrase for "letters" (meaning written messages sent by mail) is kirjeet.
kirjeet refers to written messages sent to someone through the mail.
How does it change in a sentence?
kirjeet is the plural form of the word kirje (letter). If you are referring to an indefinite amount of letters, you should use the partitive plural form kirjeitä. If you need to say "of the letter" (genitive singular), use kirjeen.
Did you know?
- In Finnish, the word for a letter of the alphabet is kirjain, not kirje. Using kirje to describe a character like 'A' or 'B' would lead to a confusing conversation about envelopes.
- Historically, the root of kirje comes from a verb meaning 'to write', which is derived from an ancient word for 'scratching'. This reflects a time when writing was done by carving into clay or wood.
- The word kirje is closely related to kirja, meaning 'book'. Both words share a root linked to the act of writing or scratching marks into a surface.
Examples in context
- Kuka kirjoitti nämä kirjeet?Who wrote these letters?This sentence is useful for asking who wrote the kirjeet.Tatoeba #5095977 by Orava, translation #3738527 by CK
- Tomin kirjeet lakkasivat tulemasta.Tom's letters stopped coming.This sentence is useful for stating that the kirjeet stopped arriving.Tatoeba #2552794 by Kalle63, translation #1877590 by CK
- Minä poltin kaikki kirjeet, jotka sinä kirjoitit minulle.I burned all the letters that you wrote me.This sentence is useful for describing burning the kirjeet that someone wrote.Tatoeba #6176646 by Orava, translation #5150956 by CK
Example conversation
Mikko and Emma are looking at an old wooden box in the attic.
- MikkoLöysitkö sinä nämä kirjeet?Did you find these letters?
- EmmaJoo, ne olivat laatikossa.Yes, they were in the box.
- MikkoOvatko ne vanhoja kirjeitä?Are they old letters?
- EmmaEivät ole, mutta ne ovat tärkeitä.They aren't, but they are important.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
