opettaja
/ˈopetːɑjɑ/gender neutral
The Finnish word for teacher is opettaja. Wiktionary also lists opettajatar.
Meaning: person who teaches (noun)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| opettaja | /ˈopetːɑjɑ/ | gender neutral |
| opettajatar | /ˈopetːɑjɑtɑr/ | archaic |
The term refers to a person who teaches.
Which one should you use?
opettaja is the standard gender-neutral form, while opettajatar is an archaic form.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express different grammatical cases, use these forms: opettajan for the genitive (indicating possession or 'of the teacher'), opettajalle for the allative (indicating movement toward or giving something to the teacher) and opettajia for the partitive plural (teachers).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈopetːɑjɑ/
Did you know?
- The word opettaja shares a common ancestor with the Estonian word õpetaja, reflecting the deep historical link between these two Uralic languages.
- While opettajatar once specifically meant a female teacher, it is now often viewed as old-fashioned or even slightly patronizing in modern professional settings.
- The verb stem in 'opettaja' comes from 'opettaa', which is closely related to the concept of 'learning' or 'acquiring knowledge' in the Uralic language family.
Examples in context
- Sinä se opettaja olet.You're the teacher.The first sentence shows how to use opettaja to identify someone.Tatoeba #7207598 by Thanuir, translation #2218439 by CK
- En halua olla opettaja.I don't want to be a teacher.The second sentence uses opettaja to express a desire regarding a profession.Tatoeba #12925213 by Johannes_S, translation #6262973 by CK
- Myös äitini on opettaja.My mother is a teacher, too.The third sentence uses opettaja to describe a person's occupation.Tatoeba #4475274 by Sanaseppo, translation #4475071 by Raizin
- Kiitos, professori, loistavasta opetuksestasi!Thank you, professor, for your excellent teaching!
- Moi opettaja, mitä me tänään teemme?Hi teacher, what are we doing today?
- 223 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juho and Sofia are discussing their school schedule.
- JuhoKuka on uusi matematiikan opettaja?Who is the new math teacher?
- SofiaHän on nimeltään herra Virtanen.His name is Mr. Virtanen.
- JuhoOnko hän hyvä opettaja?Is he a good teacher?
- SofiaKyllä, hän selittää asiat hyvin.Yes, he explains things well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries opettaja, opettajatar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries opettaja, opettajatar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
