pannukakku
/ˈpɑnːuˌkɑkːu/
The Finnish word for pancake is pannukakku. Wiktionary also lists ohukainen and räiskäle.
Meaning: thin batter cake (noun)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| pannukakku | /ˈpɑnːuˌkɑkːu/ |
| ohukainen | /ˈohukɑi̯nen/ |
| räiskäle | /ˈræi̯skæleˣ/ |
| lettu | /ˈletːu/ |
| lätty | /ˈlætːy/ |
The term refers to a thin batter cake.
What does it mean word for word?
The word pannukakku is a compound formed from pannu, meaning pan and kakku, meaning cake.
Which one should you use?
In Finland, pannukakku typically refers to a thick, baked oven-pancake. In contrast, ohukainen is used for thin, crepe-style pancakes cooked in a pan. The word literally means 'a thin one'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Lätty is a colloquial or slang term for a pancake or a flat cake. Räiskäle is an informal term.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpɑnːuˌkɑkːu/
When do people say it?
Traditional Finnish pannukakku is often baked in the oven in a rectangular tray and served with jam and whipped cream.
Did you know?
- The word räiskäle is related to the idea of something splashing or splattering, which likely describes the sound or action of batter hitting a hot pan.
- The words lettu and lätty are linguistic cousins of the Swedish word 'plätt', which is used to describe small pancakes.
- Finnish pannukakku is traditionally baked in a rectangular tray, unlike the round shape common in other cultures.
Examples in context
- Voi pannukakku sentään! Vermiselli loppui!Pancake! We're out of vermicelli!This sentence shows an exclamation using pannukakku.Tatoeba #8379373 by Thanuir, translation #535462 by FeuDRenais2
- Vaikka pannukakku olisi kuinka litteä, niin sillä on aina kaksi puolta.No matter how flat you make a pancake, it always has two sides.This sentence uses pannukakku in a metaphorical way regarding being flat.Tatoeba #3420427 by Silja, translation #1372232 by Spamster
- Paistetaanpa lettuja ja lisätään mansikkahilloa päälle!Let's make pancakes and add strawberry jam on top!
- Pidän erityisesti räiskäleistä, ne tuovat mieleeni lapsuuden kesät mökillä.I particularly like räiskäle pancakes, they remind me of childhood summers at the cottage.
Example conversation
Sofia and Antti are having breakfast at home.
- SofiaHaluatko sinä lisää pannukakkuja?Do you want more pancakes?
- AnttiKiitos, mutta minulla on jo tarpeeksi.Thanks, but I have enough already.
- SofiaHienoa, minä otan loput.Great, I will take the rest.
- AnttiSopii hyvin.That works well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pancake” translations and entries pannukakku, ohukainen, räiskäle, lettu, lätty, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lettu, lätty, ohukainen, räiskäle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
