Together Or Not = Space Matters

Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 - gallery.insaneworks.fi

Welcome to my Finnish course to non Finnish speakers or those who just want to know trivial things. Idioms, compound words and stuff. Nevertheless, if written together, mean entirely different things than written as two separate words, with a space.

How about your language? I imagine you have similar sentences or words. Please share them in the comments. :)

Like this:

ai = oh, ouch
vastus = resistor, resistance
Ai, vastus! = Oh, a resistor!
aivastus = a sneeze

kädenojennus = a helping hand, a reach out, contribution
käden ojennus = straightening the arm

mustavaris = rook
musta varis = a black crow

käänteentekevä = pivotal, epoch-making
käänteen tekevä = Someone who makes a turn.

Mene possujunaan = Go to the pig train. (a children's carnival train)
Mene possu, junaan = Pig, go to the train.

Talonmies = Janitor
Talon mies = The man in the house.

Poissaoleva = Absent-minded, unavailable
Poissa oleva = Gone.

Rantakuntoon = To get a beach body.
Ranta kuntoon = Fix the beach.

Juoppokuski = Designated driver
Juoppo kuski = Drunken driver

Tapakristitty = Cultural Christian
Tapa kristitty! = Kill a Christian!

Kirjoitin muistiinpanoni = I wrote down my notes.
Kirjoitin muistiin panoni = I wrote down my shags.

Ajanpuutteen takia = For the lack of time.
Ajan puutteen takia = I drive because I'm horny after a dry spell.
More accurate translation: when someone has been abstinent for a long time but not because they would have wanted it, and now they are really horny, so they drive. (The story doesn't tell where, but you can take a wild guess.)

Now my follow up thought of this last translation is: why do Finns have a one (slang) word and sentence for all that (puutteessa = lack of sex with someone although you really would want to have sex) when I could not find a suitable translation in English for that, that would have only two or three words in it. Actually the word puute and puutteessa can be used with anything that you lack, not related to sex, but if someone says: "Olen puutteessa", everyone knows what that person means. It means all this: "I am in need. Need for sex. I lack. I lack sex with someone. I'm horny. Horny as hell."

Think about that.

So go and continue your day with those thoughts in mind.

Welcome to Finland!

Jää, penkki! = Bench, stay!
Jääpenkki = ice bench
Jäähypenkki = penalty bench
Jäähdyttelypenkki = a cool down bench

Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 - gallery.insaneworks.fi

P.S.
Last but not least, something from Ireland: Sean Finegan, Sean Flanagan and Conor McKenna. Together or not. That is the question.

Heartbreak Emergency Room - Foil Arms and Hog