herra
/ˈherːɑ/
The Finnish word for "Mr." is herra.
herra is the most common formal way to say "Mr." in Finnish and can be used as a title before a person's last name. While herra can mean 'mister', it is more commonly used to mean 'gentleman' when referring to a man in a respectful way.
Meaning: abbreviation of mister (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word herra follows standard Finnish declension. For example, the genitive form is herran.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈherːɑ/
Did you know?
- Historically, the root of herra referred to being 'grey-haired', which evolved into a meaning of 'venerable' or 'noble'.
- In Finnish, herra can be used in the phrase Herra Jumala to refer to 'the Lord God'.
- Because herra is more commonly used to mean 'gentleman', using it to address a stranger in a shop might sound unexpectedly posh or theatrical.
Examples in context
- Herra Virtanen on täällä.Mr. Virtanen is here.
- Herra Nieminen on hyvin ystävällinen.Mr. Nieminen is very kind.
Example conversation
Laura is introducing a guest to Antti at an office.
- LauraAntti, tämä on herra Korhonen.Antti, this is Mr. Korhonen.
- AnttiHauska tavata, herra Korhonen.Nice to meet you, Mr. Korhonen.
- LauraHän on uusi yhteistyökumppanimme.He is our new partner.
- AnttiTervetuloa toimistollemme.Welcome to our office.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry herra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries herra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
