How to Say "My Friend" in Finnish

ystäväni

ystäväni is the Finnish way to say my friend.

The phrase refers to a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection and trust.

What does it mean word for word?

The word ystäväni is composed of ystävä, meaning friend and the suffix -ni, which means my.

While ystäväni means my friend, the word ystävä alone means simply friend.

The suffix -ni is the first-person singular possessive suffix used to indicate my.

The word kaveri, a common alternative to ystävä, is also used in Finnish to describe a 'partner in crime' or an accomplice in a mischief.
Finnish has a very strict distinction between a 'friend' and a 'companion'. While ystävä means friend, if you are referring to someone you just met or a casual acquaintance, you might use tuttu, which implies a person you simply recognize.
If you want to refer to a very close, soul-level friend, you might use the term sielunkumppani. This literally translates to 'soul companion' and carries a much heavier emotional weight than the standard 'my friend'.

Tom on minun ystäväni.
Tom is my friend.
This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your friend using ystäväni.
Tatoeba #3379266 by Silja, translation #406604 by CK
Hän ei ole enää ystäväni.
He's no longer my friend.
This sentence is useful for expressing that someone is no longer your friend using ystäväni.
Tatoeba #6900013 by aqaq, translation #3719290 by Hybrid
Oletko sinä minun ystäväni?
Are you my friend?
This sentence is useful for asking a question about whether someone is your friend using ystäväni.
Tatoeba #3634390 by Silja, translation #2684428 by DJ_Saidez
Tämä on ystäväni, Heli.
This is my friend, Heli.
Minä ja kaverini menemme elokuviin tänä iltana.
Me and my friend are going to the movies tonight.
52 more sentences on Tatoeba

Juho introduces someone to Laura at a party.

Sources

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