veljenpoika
/ˈʋeljenˌpoi̯kɑ/
The Finnish word for nephew can be veljenpoika or sisarenpoika.
Meaning: fraternal or sororal nephew (noun)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| veljenpoika | /ˈʋeljenˌpoi̯kɑ/ |
| sisarenpoika | /ˈsisɑrenˌpoi̯kɑ/ |
Unlike English, which uses the gender-neutral 'nephew', Finnish distinguishes whether the nephew is the son of a brother (veljenpoika) or a sister (sisarenpoika).
What does it mean word for word?
The word veljenpoika is a compound of veljen (brother's) and poika (son). Similarly, sisarenpoika is a compound of sisaren (sister's) and poika (son).
Is it said differently in some regions?
sisarenpoika is a regional variation for nephew used in some areas.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʋeljenˌpoi̯kɑ/
Did you know?
- If you are talking about a 'nephew' who is actually an older man, you still use the word veljenpoika, even though poika literally translates to 'boy'.
- Finnish does not have a unique, single word for 'nephew' or 'niece'. Instead, it uses a logical system of combining the parent's role with poika for 'son' or tytär for 'daughter'.
- While English speakers just say 'my nephew', a Finn must decide which word to use based on their own sibling's gender, making the term veljenpoika a reflection of the speaker's relationship rather than just the child's.
Examples in context
- Tom on Marin veljenpoika.Tom is Mary's nephew.This sentence is useful for showing how to identify someone as a nephew using the form veljenpoika.Tatoeba #3741600 by Silja, translation #1028536 by CK
- Veljenpoikani on munalle allerginen.My nephew is allergic to eggs.This sentence is useful for describing a specific attribute of a nephew using the form veljenpoika.Tatoeba #3354974 by Silja, translation #250229 by CK
- Koska veljenpoikani oli vielä nuori, hänelle annettiin anteeksi.Because my nephew was still young, he was forgiven.This sentence is useful for describing a past situation regarding a nephew using the form veljenpoika.Tatoeba #7682372 by Thanuir, translation #1174295 by CK
- Tämä on veljenpoikani, tapaamme harvoin, mutta pidämme yhteyttä.This is my nephew, we rarely meet, but we keep in touch.
- Moi veljenpoika!Hi nephew!
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Matti are looking at old family photos.
- SofiaKuka tämä pieni poika on kuvassa?Who is this little boy in the picture?
- MattiHän on minun veljenpoika, Leo.He is my nephew, Leo.
- SofiaOnpa hän söpö!He is so cute!
- MattiKyllä, veljenpoikani on todella mukava lapsi.Yes, my nephew is a very nice child.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nephew” translations and entries veljenpoika, sisarenpoika, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
