hiljainen
/ˈhiljɑi̯nen/
The English word quiet is translated into Finnish as hiljainen. Wiktionary also lists äänetön.
Meaning: with little sound (adj)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hiljainen | /ˈhiljɑi̯nen/ |
| äänetön | /ˈæːnetøn/ |
Hiljainen is used to describe both a lack of noise in an environment and a person's temperament (e.g., a quiet/reserved person).
Which one should you use?
While hiljainen describes a quiet environment or a quiet person, äänetön specifically refers to the total absence of sound, such as a soundless vacuum or a silent film.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form for 'silence' is hiljaisuus, which is derived from the adjective hiljainen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhiljɑi̯nen/
Did you know?
- The word hiljaa does not just mean 'quiet' but also 'slowly'. If you ask someone to speak hiljaa, they might respond by slowing down their pace rather than lowering their volume.
- Finland is often associated with a cultural value of silence, where being hiljainen in a social setting is seen as a sign of respect or listening rather than awkwardness.
- The word äänetön uses the suffix -tön, which is a common way in Finnish to turn a noun into an adjective meaning 'without' that thing.
Examples in context
- Tom on hiljainen poika.Tom is a quiet boy.This sentence shows how to describe a person using hiljainen.Tatoeba #7036177 by Thanuir, translation #5577217 by CK
- Tämä on hiljainen katu.This is a quiet street.This sentence shows how to describe a location using hiljainen.Tatoeba #9962395 by Johannes_S, translation #2514141 by Hybrid
- Oletko aina näin hiljainen?Are you always this quiet?This sentence shows how to ask a question about someone's level of being hiljainen.Tatoeba #12740213 by Pertjar, translation #4013608 by CK
- Pyydän kaikkia säilyttämään hiljaisuudenI kindly ask everyone to maintain quietness.
- Hän halusi ylläpitää rauhallisuutta kokoushuoneessaHe wanted to maintain quietness in the conference room.
- Voisitko olla hiljaa hetken?Could you be quiet for a moment?
- Laita turpa kiinni, mä yritän lukeaShut up, I'm trying to read.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Mikko are in a library.
- SofiaTämä kirjasto on tosi hiljainen.This library is really quiet.
- MikkoKyllä, täällä on mukava lukea.Yes, it is nice to read here.
- SofiaPysytäänpä vielä hetken hiljainen.Let's stay quiet for a while longer.
- MikkoSopii, minäkin keskityn kirjaan.Agreed, I'll focus on my book too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quiet” translations and entries hiljainen, äänetön, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
