Proverbs: every language has these little nuggets of wisdom that everyone seems to know and use on a regular basis. Finnish is no exception—there are lots of Finnish proverbs that are commonly used in everyday conversations. Some of them are borrowed from other languages, while others are unique to Finnish. Those in the latter category create a particularly fascinating window into the Finnish mindset and culture!

For a language learner, studying proverbs can be a really fun way to build language skills and pick up new vocabulary. In this article, we’ll teach you some of the best Finnish proverbs and their equivalents in English (where applicable).

Let’s get started!

Impress your Finnish friends by learning proverbs in Finnish.

Table of Contents

1. Proverbs About Wisdom
2. Proverbs About Caution
3. Proverbs About Learning
4. Proverbs About Family
5. Proverbs About Love
6. Proverbs About Courage
7. Proverbs About Being Home and Abroad
8. Miscellaneous Proverbs
9. Lopuksi

1. Proverbs About Wisdom

Proverbs are known for their ability to deliver little bundles of wisdom in a brief (and often witty) phrase. Below are a few popular Finnish sayings about wisdom and how to live life well. 

Finnish	Parempi pyy pivossa kuin kymmenen oksalla.
Literally	“Better a hazel grouse in fist than ten on a branch.”
Equivalent	A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
What you already have is of greater benefit to you than things that are more valuable but out of reach. Note that pivo is an archaic Finnish word for koura (“fist”) or kourallinen (“fistful”). Joonas on aina ollut varovainen sijoittaja. Parempi pyy pivossa kuin kymmenen oksalla, hän sanoo usein.  “Joonas has always been a careful investor. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, he often says.”

Finnish	Ei auta itku markkinoilla.
Literally	“It’s no use crying at the marketplace.”
Equivalent	It’s no use crying over spilled milk.
The world is tough, and tears won’t help. This proverb is used when something doesn’t go according to plan and nothing can be done about it. Pihla myöhästyi linja-autosta. Ei auta itku markkinoilla—hänen täytyy vaan kävellä kotiin.  “Pihla missed the bus. It’s no use crying over spilled milk—she simply has to walk home.”

Finnish	Älä nuolaise ennen kuin tipahtaa.
Literally	“Do not lick before it drops.”
Equivalent	Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Avoid celebrating too soon or making plans based on a future event that may or may not happen. Älä nuolaise ennen kuin tipahtaa—finaali on vielä edessä.  “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch—the final is still ahead.”

Finnish	Hiljaa hyvä tulee.
Literally	“Slowly it’ll go well.”
Equivalent	Slow and steady wins the race.
Proceed slowly and carefully if you want good results. Kiirehtiminen johtaa virheisiin. Hiljaa hyvä tulee. “Rushing leads to mistakes. Slow and steady wins the race.”

Hiljaa hyvä tulee. / “Slow and steady wins the race.”

• Eager for even more wisdom? Our free vocabulary list of the Top 10 Inspirational Quotes in Finnish has you covered.

2. Proverbs About Caution

When was the last time you got hurt or made a poor decision because you didn’t practice caution? It happens to all of us, but can definitely be avoided! The following Finnish expressions talk about the importance of caution in everyday life. 

Finnish	Ei savua ilman tulta.
Equivalent	There’s no smoke without fire.
Rumors often have some truth behind them. En halua uskoa kaikkia huhuja, mutta ei savua ilman tulta.  “I don’t want to believe all the rumors, but there’s no smoke without fire.”

Finnish	Parempi katsoa kuin katua.
Literally	“It’s better to look than to regret.”
Equivalent	Better safe than sorry.
A cautious approach can save you from harm. Riskinotto ei kiinnosta minua. Parempi katsoa kuin katua.  “Risk-taking doesn’t interest me. Better safe than sorry.”

Finnish	Itku pitkästä ilosta.
Literally	“Tears after long-lasting joy.”
Equivalent	It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
A rather gloomy proverb, this one is often used to warn children about playing too roughly. Kohta käy huonosti, jos ette leiki vähän varovaisemmin. Itku pitkästä ilosta!  “Soon something bad will happen if you don’t play a bit more carefully. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye!”

Finnish	Valheella on lyhyet jäljet.
Literally	“A lie has short tracks.”
Equivalent	A lie has no legs.
According to this proverb, lying isn’t worth it because falsehoods get exposed quickly. (Though this might actually not be true: according to a study by MIT researchers, false news spreads far more rapidly than true stories, at least on Twitter.) Pekka ei ole vieläkään oppinut että valheella on lyhyet jäljet.  “Pekka has still not learned that a lie has no legs.”

A sign warns of danger.

• Better safe than sorry. Prepare for the worst by learning Finnish phrases to use in an emergency.

3. Proverbs About Learning

Are you feeling discouraged with your Finnish studies, thinking about taking on a new hobby, or about to start classes at university? It sounds like you’re in need of some motivation and practical advice! Here are the best Finnish proverbs about learning to give you just that… 

Finnish	Kukaan ei ole seppä syntyessään.
Literally	“No one is a blacksmith when they are born.”
Equivalent	Practice makes perfect.
You need to put effort into learning new skills. Älä huoli, Antero! Jatka vaan harjoittelua—kukaan ei ole seppä syntyessään.  “Don’t worry, Antero! Just keep practicing—no one is a blacksmith when they are born.”

Finnish	Kertaus on kaikkien opintojen äiti.
Equivalent	Repetition is the mother of all learning.
Every language learner knows this! Repetition really helps you remember things, whether you’re learning grammar rules or new vocabulary. Sallan opettaja muistutti oppilaitaan aina ennen kokeita, että kertaus on kaikkien opintojen äiti.  “Salla’s teacher always reminded her students before tests that repetition is the mother of all learning.”

Finnish	Oppia ikä kaikki
Literally	“To learn at any age”
Equivalent	Live and learn.
Learning new things never ends! This proverb is especially apt when you come across a piece of information that you find surprising. En tiennyt, että Australiassa on pingviinejä. Oppia ikä kaikki.  “I didn’t know that there are penguins in Australia. Live and learn.”

• Interested in reading more wise words about learning? Then visit our list of the Top 10 Quotes About Language Learning.

4. Proverbs About Family

The relationship we have with our family is precious, and it’s one of the most important relationships we’ll have in life. That said, here are a few Finnish proverbs on the topic of family! 

Finnish	Ei omena kauas puusta putoa.
Equivalent	An apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Children get not only their physical appearance from their parents, but often their character traits too—for good or for ill! Näyttää että Erkistä on tulossa yhtä taitava jääkiekonpelaaja kuin isästään. Ei omena kauas puusta putoa.  “It looks like Erkki is becoming as talented an ice hockey player as his father. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Finnish	Veri on vettä sakeampaa.
Equivalent	Blood is thicker than water.
Familial ties are stronger than any other bonds we make throughout life. Vaikka tappelemme usein, olen aina valmis puolustamaan veljeäni, sillä veri on vettä sakeampaa.  “Even though we fight often, I’m always ready to defend my brother, because blood is thicker than water.”

A family enjoys a walk in the woods.

• We have more wisdom on family ties for you! Check out our list of the Top 10 Quotes About Family.

5. Proverbs About Love

Whether you have a Finnish sweetheart or just want to learn some lighthearted quips on the topic of romance, these Finnish proverbs about love are exactly what you need!  

Finnish	Tie miehen sydämeen käy vatsan kautta.
Equivalent	The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
According to this proverb, cooking a delicious dinner may be the surest way to win a man’s affections. Kati on aina sanonut, että tie miehen sydämeen käy vatsan kautta. Ja ehkä hän on oikeassa—Katin oma mies kosi syötyään hänen lohikeittoaan!  “Kati has always said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And perhaps she’s right—Kati’s own husband proposed after eating her salmon soup!”

Finnish	Rakkaudesta se hevonenkin potkii.
Literally	“The horse kicks out of love too.”
This proverb claims that people sometimes show their love in very strange ways! Kaarina väittää, että Eemeli aina kiusaa Tanjaa siksi koska tykkää hänestä. Rakkaudesta se hevonenkin potkii, hän sanoi!  “Kaarina claims that Eemeli is always teasing Tanja because he likes her. The horse kicks out of love too, she said!”

Finnish	Vanha suola janottaa.
Literally	“Old salt makes one thirsty.”
This saying refers to a situation where one still harbors romantic feelings for someone from the past. Kuulitko, että Katri on taas nähty Esan kanssa? Taitaa vanha suola janottaa.  “Did you hear that Katri has been seen with Esa again? Seems that old salt is making her thirsty.”

A couple enjoys a romantic dinner.

• Feeling romantic? Why not learn a few Finnish quotes about love?

6. Proverbs About Courage

Some of the best things in life are only achieved after facing one’s fears or making a bold move. Here are a couple of Finnish proverbs on the topic of courage. 

Finnish	Rohkea rokan syö.
Literally	“The brave will eat the soup.”
Equivalent	Fortune favors the bold.
If you want to achieve something great, you need to be brave and go for it. Why rokka (“soup” colloquial), though? Possibly because it alliterates with rohkea (“brave”)! According to the Tiede magazine, this Finnish proverb might be over a thousand years old. The brave one gets the catch and can fill his stomach.  The proverb used to continue with …ujo kuolee nälkään, kaino ei saa kaaliakaan (“…the shy one will die of hunger, the coy one won’t get even a cabbage”). Rohkea rokan syö, ajatteli Salli mennessään pyytämään palkankorotusta.  “Fortune favors the brave, thought Salli on her way to ask for a raise.”

Finnish	Yrittänyttä ei laiteta.
Literally	“Who has tried will not be scolded.”
Equivalent	Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
You won’t get anything if you don’t try—and according to this proverb, a Finn will not judge you if you’ve done at least that much! (Note that “to scold” is an archaic meaning for the verb laittaa.) Tommia ärsyttää, jos joku luovuttaa yrittämättä—‘yrittänyttä ei laiteta’ on hänen mottonsa.  “Tommi finds it annoying if someone gives up without trying—‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ is his motto.”

A skydiver.

• Do you believe courage trumps caution when it comes to success? Read our list of the top 11 Finnish quotes about success to see what others think.

7. Proverbs About Being Home and Abroad

Do you love to travel or are you more of a homebody? (Or maybe a little bit of both?) In either case, here are some proverbs in Finnish that discuss travel and home time. 

Finnish	Oma koti kullan kallis.
Literally	“One’s own home is worth gold.”
Equivalent	Home sweet home.
Home: the best place in the world! Oma koti kullan kallis, Erja huokaisi laskiessaan matkalaukkunsa lattialle.  “Home sweet home, Erja sighed as she put her suitcase down on the floor.”

Finnish	Maassa maan tavalla.
Literally	“In a country according to its customs.”
Equivalent	When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Anyone who’s traveled a lot knows to follow this golden rule! Adapting to local customs when abroad makes for richer experiences. Näytin varmaan hassulta kun yritin käyttää syömäpuikkoja, mutta maassa maan tavalla.  “I probably looked silly when I tried to use chopsticks, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Finnish	Oma maa mansikka, muu maa mustikka.
Literally	“One’s own country (is) a strawberry, another country a blueberry.”
Equivalent	“There’s no place like home.”
This proverb tells us that one’s own country is the best place in the world. Ulkomailla on aina kiva käydä, mutta en haluaisi asua missään muualla kuin Suomessa. Oma maa mansikka, muu maa mustikka, eikö totta?  “It’s always nice to go abroad for a visit, but I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else but Finland. There’s no place like home, right?”

A family sits in front of their home.

• Are you planning to visit Finland? Then we recommend you learn some Survival Phrases in Finnish and the Top 30 Finnish Travel Phrases.

8. Miscellaneous Proverbs

To wrap up, let’s look at a few more Finnish proverbs on a variety of topics… 

Finnish	Mikä laulaen tulee, se viheltäen menee.
Literally	“What comes singing, goes whistling.”
Equivalent	Easy come, easy go.
Things that are easy to come by tend to be just as easy to lose. Or perhaps we simply don’t care that much about losing them! Kuulitko, että Kirsi voitti ison summan rahaa mutta kulutti sen kokonaan kahdessa kuukaudessa? Tyypillistä—mikä laulaen tulee, se viheltäen menee.  “Did you hear that Kirsi won a great sum of money but spent it all in two months? Typical—easy come, easy go.”

Finnish	Loppu hyvin, kaikki hyvin.
Equivalent	All’s well that ends well.
Often, it’s all about the happy ending—no matter what trials we had to get through first. Terhi myöhästyi omista häistään, mutta se ei onneksi pilannut juhlaa. Loppu hyvin, kaikki hyvin!  “Terhi was late for her own wedding, but luckily it didn’t ruin the celebration. All’s well that ends well!”

Finnish	Kolmas kerta toden sanoo.
Literally	“Third time speaks the truth.”
Equivalent	Third time’s a charm.
This one is slightly mysterious. Why are we more likely to succeed on our third try? Perhaps failing twice at something makes for an effective learning experience. Teppo oli pettynyt, kun hän ei läpäissyt ajokoetta toisellakaan yrittämällä. ’Kolmas kerta toden sanoo’, muistutin häntä.  “Teppo was disappointed when he didn’t pass the driving test even on his second attempt. ‘Third time’s a charm,’ I reminded him.”

Finnish	Parempi myöhään kuin ei milloinkaan.
Equivalent	Better late than never.
Even if it takes a long time to achieve something, it’s still better than not succeeding at all. Tuula kertoi minulle, että hän on vihdoin valmistunut. Niinkö? Parempi myöhään kuin ei milloinkaan!  “Tuula told me that she has finally graduated. Really? Better late than never!”

Finnish	Hätä ei lue lakia.
Literally	“An emergency does not read the law.”
Equivalent	Necessity knows no law.
Similar to the proverb “desperate times call for desperate measures,” this proverb asserts that in a dire situation, it may be necessary to break the law. Olen aina ollut lainkuuliainen, mutta kiperässä tilanteessa minäkin rikkoisin sääntöjä, sillä hätä ei lue lakia.  “I have always been law-abiding, but in a tricky situation even I would break rules, because necessity knows no law.”

Finnish	Tarkoitus pyhittää keinot.
Literally	“The purpose sanctifies the means.”
Equivalent	The end justifies the means.
Similar to the previous proverb, this proverb claims that unethical actions can be forgiven if the outcome is beneficial. A: ‘Sinä siis varastit auttaaksesi vähäosaisia?’ B: ‘Kyllä, tarkoitus pyhittää keinot, eikö niin?’  A: “So you stole to help the poor?”B: “Yes, the end justifies the means, doesn’t it?”

Finnish	Paistaa se päivä risukasaankin.
Literally	“The day will shine even into a pile of twigs.”
Equivalent	Every dog has his day.
Do you ever feel like everything is going wrong for you? This proverb is here to assure us that even the most unfortunate will enjoy success at times! Sanoin Petterille ettei pidä koskaan luovuttaa, koska paistaa se päivä risukasaankin.  “I told Petteri that one should never give up, because every dog has his day.”

Finnish	Vaihtelu virkistää.
Literally	“Change refreshes.”
Equivalent	Variety is the spice of life.
Big or small, changes can indeed be refreshing. Janne ja Elina päättivät yhtäkkiä muuttaa maalle. Kun kysyin heiltä miksi, he sanoivat vain että vaihtelu virkistää.  “Janne and Elina suddenly decided to move to the country. When I asked them why, they simply said that variety is the spice of life.”

Finnish	Hädässä ystävä tunnetaan.
Literally	“In an emergency, a friend is known.”
Equivalent	A friend in need is a friend indeed.
True friends will support you when you’re in trouble, while fair-weather friends quickly disappear. Sirpa ei epäröinyt hetkeäkään kun pyysin apua. On totta, että hädässä ystävä tunnetaan!  “Sirpa didn’t hesitate even for a moment when I asked for help. It’s true that a friend in need is a friend indeed!”

Finnish	Aika parantaa haavat.
Literally	“Time heals wounds.”
Equivalent	Time heals all wounds.
According to folk wisdom, even the bitterest disappointment and the worst kind of heartbreak will heal over time. Avioero on usein tuskallinen kokemus, mutta aika parantaa haavat.  “A divorce is often a painful experience, but time heals all wounds.”

Have you experienced heartbreak? Read our list of Finnish Break-Up Quotes to read what others have to say about it.

Hädässä ystävä tunnetaan. / “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”

9. Lopuksi

In this guide, we dived deep into Finnish wisdom and learned some of the most commonly used Finnish proverbs about a variety of topics, from courage to love. Were there any that you particularly liked or had heard before? If you know any other Finnish proverbs, feel free to share with the community by leaving a comment below! 

We have a lot for you to explore on FinnishPod101.com if you’re interested in learning more about the Finnish language and culture. Get started with our free Finnish resources, or take a look at our expansive collection of Finnish vocabulary lists with audio recordings. Have fun learning with FinnishPod101!