mulperipuu
/ˈmulperiˌpuː/
The English word mulberry translates to Finnish as mulperipuu.
The term mulperipuu refers specifically to the mulberry tree. In certain contexts, you may use mulperi to refer to the mulberry plant or the fruit itself.
Meaning: the fruit (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word mulperipuu is a compound formed by combining mulperi (mulberry) and puu (tree), literally meaning mulberry tree.
Which one should you use?
Use mulperipuu when you are talking about the tree. To refer to the fruit or the plant more generally, use mulperi.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mulperipuu is mulperipuut. To express possession or the phrase 'of the mulberry tree', use the genitive form mulperipuun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmulperiˌpuː/
Did you know?
- Because mulberry trees are not native to Finland, you will rarely see a mulperipuu in the wild and most Finns only encounter them in botanical gardens.
- While mulperipuu refers to the tree, the word mulperi is also used in Finnish to describe the 'mulberry' silk moth larvae that feed on its leaves.
- The word puu in mulperipuu is also the Finnish word for 'wood', so the term can technically refer to both the living tree and the timber itself.
Example conversation
Sofia and Antti are walking in a botanical garden.
- SofiaKatsopa, tuo on upea mulperipuu.Look, that is a wonderful mulberry tree.
- AnttiOnko siinä jo marjoja?Does it have berries already?
- SofiaKyllä, ne näyttävät oikein kypsiltä.Yes, they look quite ripe.
- AnttiNe näyttävät todella herkullisilta.They look really delicious.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mulperipuu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
