perkele
/ˈperkeleˣ/
perkele is the Finnish word for perkele.
perkele is a strong swear word used to express intense anger, frustration or emphasis.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
perkele is highly informal and considered vulgar, so it should not be used in professional or polite settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southwestern dialect spoken in the Turku region, hemmetti and hemmetin are common alternatives to perkele.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈperkeleˣ/
Did you know?
- perkele is a linguistic relative of the Lithuanian god Perkūnas and the Slavic god Perun.
- Finnish has a distinct cultural concept of 'Sisu', a stoic determination that is often punctuated by a well-timed perkele when a task becomes impossibly difficult.
- While perkele is a heavy-hitting swear, it is often used by Finns as a rhythmic tool to add dramatic weight to an otherwise calm sentence.
Examples in context
- Hitto vieköön, taas myöhässä!Damn it, late again!
- Voi perkele, minun avaimet katosivat.Damn it, my keys are gone.
- Perkele, tämä auto ei käynnisty!Hell, this car won't start!
- Olipas se perkele kallis remontti.That was a damn expensive renovation.
Example conversation
Mikko drops a heavy box on his foot.
- MikkoPerkele, se sattuu!Damn it, that hurts!
- EmmaOletko kunnossa, Mikko?Are you okay, Mikko?
- MikkoLuulen, että varpaani murtui.I think my toe broke.
- EmmaMennään heti lääkäriin.Let's go to the doctor immediately.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry perkele, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perkele, CC BY-SA 4.0.
