koulu
/ˈkou̯lu/
The English word school is koulu in Finnish.
koulu refers to an institution dedicated to teaching and learning. While koulu is the name for the school itself, the noun koulutus is used to refer to the concept of education or training received. The related verb kouluttaa means to educate, teach or train.
Meaning: an institution dedicated to teaching and learning (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes depending on how it is used in a sentence. The genitive form koulun is used to indicate possession or to show that something belongs to the school. The inessive case form koulussa is used to express being inside the school building or being a student currently attending school. The illative case form kouluun is used to express movement towards the school.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkou̯lu/
Did you know?
- The Finnish word koulu is a relative of the English word 'school' via Latin and Ancient Greek, but it entered Finnish through Late Old Swedish.
- Finnish children typically start koulu at age seven, which is later than in many other English-speaking countries.
- In Finnish culture, the concept of 'school' extends to the 'forest school' movement, where outdoors learning is integrated into the official curriculum.
Examples in context
- Tämä on Tomin koulu.This is Tom's school.This sentence is useful for showing possession with koulu.Tatoeba #3829195 by Silja, translation #2647051 by CK
- Mun lapset on koulus.My children are at school.This sentence is useful for showing that someone is at school with koulu.Tatoeba #6629239 by Orava, translation #392907 by timvox
- Et enää ehdi kouluun.You're not going to make it in time for school.This sentence is useful for showing movement towards the school with koulu.Tatoeba #10522843 by Johannes_S, translation #8960573 by CK
- Menen kouluunI'm going to school.
- 486 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mikko and Laura are talking about their day.
- MikkoMissä sinun koulu sijaitsee?Where is your school located?
- LauraSe on aivan keskustassa.It is right in the center.
- MikkoOnko se iso koulu?Is it a big school?
- LauraKyllä, siellä on paljon opiskelijoita.Yes, there are many students there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “school” translations and entries koulu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries koulu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
