Friday Phrase 17

"Acta, non verba", a.k.a. "Facta, non verba" simply means that we shouldn't put too much emphasis on words at the expense of deeds.

For actions speak louder than words. In Finland we say: "Teot puhuvat enemmän kuin sanat" or sometimes "Teot puhuvat puolestaan". In Estonia "Meetmete Sõnaloendus on", or "Meetmed räägivad iseenda eest". We are all really like actors and directors in our own movie, and every now and then the director claps the clapperboard and shouts: Action! - or otherwise the film would never come out.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
enemmän = rohkem, enam = more
klaffi / tahdistuslauta =  = clapperboard, clap slate
korostaa = rõhutada = to put emphasis, emphasize
puhuvat = räägivad = speak (pl.)
puolestaan = iseenda eest = in their own behalf
sanamäärä = sõnaloendus
sanat = sõnad = words
teot = meetmed = actions, deeds
toimenpide = meede = means, proceeding, action  
toimenpiteet = measures, means of action 
toiminta, teot = meetmed = action, activity

Friday Phrase 16

Finnish is often considered a language of long and difficult words (we do have those, mainly due to inflection!), but some things can be said shorter as well. For example the Finnish version of Never say never. The verb form ending in -matta means 'without doing' (that something), so Vannomatta paras would literally translate "best not to swear (on it)". The Estonian phrase for this would be Ära ütle kunagi, et mitte iialgi. However you say it, there is always hope, always room for change, always chance for changed circumstances and surprising outcomes, and always a possibility for change in personal preferences. Nunquam nunquam narra!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
ei koskaan, ei ikinä = ei kunagi, mitte kunagi, iial = never
henkilökohtainen mieltymys = isiklik eelistus = personal preference
mahdollisuus = võimalikkus = possibility
muutos = muutus = change
olosuhteet = olukord, tingimused = circumstances
paras = parim = (the) best
toivo = lootus = hope
vannoa = vanduda = swear, make an oath
vannomatta = vandumata = without swearing 
Vannomatta paras = Ära ütle kunagi, et mitte iialgi = Never say never = Nunquam nunquam narra (in Latin)
yllättävä käänne = ootamatu pöörde=  surprising outcome

Friday Phrase 15

 Are you mayhaps  one of those people who are always late? Wherever you go? To a meeting, a job interview, aboard a ship? Have you  heard the expression "Time and tide wait for no man"? Time is of the essence.  Life will not wait either - even if you may be offered opportunities to catch up. People will not bother to wait to hear your excuses. Things will not wait for you when you are late, and even the tiniest ship will leave without you if you are - late. The blog's next article will be about just that...

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
aika = aeg = time
Aika rientää = Aeg lendab = Time flies = Tempus fugit (Lat.)
Aikaa ei ole paljon = Aeg on sisuliselt = Time is of the essence
Aikaa ei voi pysäyttää =  Time and tide wait for no man
Anteeksi, että olen myöhässä = Vabandage, et ma hilinesin = Excuse me for being late
myöhässä = hilinenud = late
nousu- ja laskuvesi = (merevee) tõus ja mõõn = tide
Se on vain tekosyy = See on lihtsalt ettekääne = That's just an excuse
selitys, tekosyy = vabandus, ettekääne = excuse (for being late)
tapaaminen = miiting, koosolek =  meeting, date
tilaisuus, mahdollisuus = võimalus = opportunity, chance
työhaastattelu = tööintervjuu, töövestlus = job interview

Friday Phrase 14

How do you suppose that All roads lead to Rome? Well, they used to! Even the tiniest roads lead to a bigger road (and maybe an even bigger road) that lead to Rome. These days this fine phrase is used when we want to tell that it is okay to make your own, different decisions about a matter since in the end it will all be fine - you will be where you want to be, where you need to be. For Kaikki tiet vievät Roomaan. Kõik teed viivad Rooma. Believe it.

To see how this phrase translates into some other languages, click here. And in Latin? Omnes viae Romam ducunt.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
erilainen = erinev = different
kaikki tiet = kõik teed = all roads
lopussa = lõpus = in the end
nykyään = tänapäeval = these days, nowadays
pienimmätkin tiet = even the tiniest roads
ratkaisu = otsus = decision
Rooma = Rooma = Rome
suoraan = otse = directly
tie = tee = road
uskoa = uskuda = to believe
viedä, johtaa = viia = to lead
(Fin: vien, viet, vie, viemme, viette, vievät)
(Est: viin, viib, vii, viime, viite, viivad) = I lead, you lead, etc.

Friday Phrase 13

Tällä kertaa the Friday Phrase goes light. Most of you may know the program Candid Camera, and how the host (e.g. Peter Funt)  always says the same phrase at the end: Smile - you're on Candid Camera! We have all smiled at the embarrassing or naljakas situations the unsuspecting "victims" are exposed to. In Finland we know the program by "Hymyile, olet piilokamerassa!", and in Estonia "Naeratage, te olete varjatud kaameras!" Which ever camera you are on, and no matter what the culture or language, we people are prone to laugh at more or less the same things. Cheers to that! Here is one funny video!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
avomielinen, suora, vilpitön = avameelne, siiras = candid
enemmän tai vähemmän = rohkem või vähem = more or less
hauska = naljakas = funny
Hymyilkää = Naeratage = Smile! (pl.)
juontaja = saatejuht = host
nauraa = naerda = to laugh
nolo = piinlik = embarrassing
nolo tilanne = piinlik olukord = an embarrassing situation
ohjelma = programm = program
(sinä) olet = sina oled = you are (sing.)
(te) olette = te olete = you are (pl.)
pahaa-aavistamaton = pahaaimamatu = unsuspecting
piilokamera = varjatud kaamera = candid camera
tällä kertaa = seekord = this time around
uhri = ohver = victim

Friday Phrase 12

"Where there's smoke, there's fire"  is said when something cannot be seen, but its implications can. A universal truth, which in Finnish translates "Ei savua ilman tulta" and in Estonian "Kus suitsu, seal tuld". Most often used of rumors and suppositions; that there must be some truth in it (the rumor) as everyone is speaking of it (the "truth"). And when used literally, be sure to keep a fire extinguisher at hand! Here is an Estonian õppefilm about that titled "Tulekustuti kasutamine".

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Ei savua ilman tulta = Kus suitsu,  seal tuld = Where there's smoke, there's fire
huhu = kuuldus, kuulujutt = rumor
ilman = ilma = without
kirjaimellisesti = sõna otseses mõttes = literally 
käyttö = kasutamine = use, application 
maailmanlaajuinen = universaalne = universal
maaliskuu = märts = March
missä = kus = where
oletus = oletus = supposition, assumption
opetusvideo = õppefilm= educational film
sammutin = tulekustuti = fire extinguisher
savu/savua(part.) = suits/suitsu(part.) = smoke
seuraus = = implication 
siellä = seal = there
totuus = tõde = truth 
tuli/tulta(part.) = tuli/tuld(part.) = fire 
vaahtosammutin = pulberkustuti = fire extinguisher
(part. = the partitive case)

Friday Phrase 11

It is said that time heals all wounds. Like footprints on sand - imprints on something so perfect - that are being smoothed away by the tide - the trustworthy, irresistible surge of s(m)oothing, nondiscriminating water. Aika parantaa haavat. Slowly but surely. Aeg parandab haavad.  Though scars remain.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
aika = aeg = time
Aika parantaa haavat = Aeg parandab haavad = Time heals all wounds
arpi/arvet = arm/armid = scar/scars
haava/haavat = haav/haavad = wound/s
hiekalla = liivas = on sand
hiekka = liiv = sand
hitaasti mutta varmasti = aeglaselt aga kindlalt = slowly but surely
jalanjälki/jalanjäljet = jalajälg/jalajäljed = footprint/s
jälki, painauma = jälg = imprint
jäädä jäljelle = järele jääda = to remain, be left behind
lainehdinta, maininki = lainetus = surge
luotettava = usaldusväärne = trustworthy
nousuvesi = tõus = high tide
parantaa = parandada = to heal
siloittaa, tasoittaa = silendada = to smooth
täydellinen = täielik = perfect
vastustamaton = vastupandamatu = irresistible
(singuralis/pluralis)

Friday Phrase 10

The German composer Richard Wagner (1813-1883) once said: Joy is not in things; it is in us. In the Finnish translation of it "Ilo ei asu tavaroissa, se on meissä", the verb asua emphasizes the source of joy not being in tangible things but the intangibleness, i.e. the spirit of human beings. Rõõm pole asjades, vaid meis endis.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
aineeton = puudutamatu = intangible
asia = asi = thing
asua, olla = olla = to be, reside
ei ole = pole = is not
ilo = rõõm = joy
Ilo ei asu tavaroissa, se on meissä = Rõõm pole asjades, vaid meis end= Joy is not in things; it is in us
kouraantuntuva = käegakatsutav, konkreetne = tangible
käännös = tõlge = translation
lähde = allikas = source
meissä itsessämme = meis endis = in us, within us
säveltäjä = helilooja, komponist = composer
tavara, esine = asi, ese = thing

Friday Phrase 9

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said many wise things, and some pertaining to this idea that you must not just wait for better things to happen, but "be the change you want to see in the world". Whether you are in Finland ("ole se muutos, minkä haluat nähdä maailmassa tapahtuvan"), in Estonia ("ole ise muutus, mida sa maailmas näha tahad") or anywhere else on this beautiful planet, that wisdom still holds true.

PS. This is the last weekly Friday phrase. The following phrases will be appearing on a monthly basis, every first Friday of each month.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Eestissä/Virossa = Eestis = in Estonia
itse = ise = self, yourself
kaunis = ilus, kaunis = beautiful
kerran kuussa = kord kuus = on a  monthly basis, once a month
maailma = maailm = world
muutos = muutus = change
nähdä = näha = to see
odottaa = oodata = to wait
paikka = asukoht = place
pitää paikkansa, olla totta = tõsi olla = to hold true
planeetta = planeet  = planet
Suomessa = Soomes = in Finland
tahtoa, haluta = tahta, soovida = to want
tapahtua = juhtuda = to happen
viikottainen = iganädalane = weekly 
viisas = tark = wise
viisaus = tarkus = wisdom

Friday Phrase 8

Pari päivää sitten  there was an article about snow. Let's continue on that theme, shall we! We have a somehat funny saying (a socalled tongue twister) in Finnish: "Luojan luoma lumenluoja Luojan luoman lumen luo". Certainly a good sentence for someone who has trouble pronouncing the strong Finnish r, that is for sure! But what is actually going on in that sentence?! It simply means that "A shoveler of snow,  created by the Creator, shovels the snow created by the Creator." Doesn't sound  anywhere near that fancy in English, does it?

Here are a few more Finnish tongue twisters (which often contain some variations).

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
hassu = naljakas = funny
jollekulle, jollekin = kellegi = for someone
kuulostaa = kõlada =  to sound
lause = lause = sentence
lumenluoja = lumekühveldaja = shoveler of snow
lumi = lumi = snow
luoda (minä luon) = luua (mina loon) = to create
luoda lunta = lund külveldada = to shovel snow
Luoja = looja = the Creator
luoja = külveldaja = shoveler
luoma = created (by)
pari päivää sitten = mõni päev tagasi = a couple of days ago
yksinkertaisesti = lihtsalt = simply
ääntää = hääldada = to pronounce

Friday Phrase 7

There is an old Buddhist saying: 

“If we are facing in the right direction,  

all we have to do is keep on walking".

Vanha buddhalainen sanonta: 

Jos suunta on oikea, 

meidän tarvitsee vain jatkaa matkaa.

Vana budistlik õpetus: 

Kui oleme pöördunud õigesse suunda, 

siis pole meil vaja teha muud,  kui edasi minna.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
buddhalainen = budistlik = Buddhist
eteenpäin = edasi = forward
jatkaa = jätkata = to continue, keep on
jatkaa matkaa = edasi minna =  keep on walking
jos = kui = if
kulkea, mennä = minna = to go
kävellä = käia, kõndida = to walk
kääntyä = pöörduda = to turn
matka = reis, teekond = journey
meidän ei tarvitse = pole meil vaja = we don't need to
meidän tarvitsee vain = me peame ainult = we only need to
oikea = õige = right
suunta = suund = direction
tarpeen = vaja = necessary
tehdä muuta kuin = teha muud, kui = to do anything else but

Friday Phrase 6

Joulukuu is the month of tax returns. Which is a nice thing for those who actually get some money back from the hallitus. But for some of us who need to be paying back, the old adage "tyhjästä on paha nyhjästä" may become all too real. Then you really need to get creative about joulu. Luckily the best kink you can give and receive is yhdessäolo.

The English equivalent to this saying would be "to pull something out of thin air" - or try to... Or what Shakespeare's King Lear said: "Nothing will come of nothing". 

Yet to be translated in Estonian. Please leave a comment below if you know.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
antaa ja saada = anda ja saada = to give and receive
hallitus = valitsus = government
jotkut meistä = mõned meist = some of us
joulukuu = detsember = December
lahja = kink, kingitus = gift, present
luova = loov, loomisvõimeline = creative
maksaa takaisin = tagasi maksta= to pay back
nyhjä(i)stä =  = to pull out (with one small jerk)
onneksi = õnneks = luckily
raha = raha = money
sanonta = ütlus, vanasõna = adage
todella = tegelikult = actually
tyhjä = tühi = empty
tyhjästä on paha nyhjästä = to pull something out of thin air = nihil ex nihilo
vastine = sünonuüm = equivalent
vero = maks, tulumaks = tax
veronpalautus = tulumaksu tagastamine = tax return
yhdessäolo = koosolemine = togetherness, being together

Friday Phrase 5

It was Robert Browning who coined the phrase "Less is more".  A short but profound message. But how could that be - vähemmän on enemmän? Doesn't mathematics apply to everything? Yes, but in more subtle and finer ways than we may know. Less of anything too much gives you more of what you truely need. More space. More joy. More life. Vähem on rohkem.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
enemmän = rohkem = more
ilo = rõõm = joy
keksiä sanonta = to coin a phrase
liikaa, liian paljon = üleliia, liiga palju = too much
lyhyt = lühike = short
matematiikka = matemaatika = mathematics
sanoma, viesti = sõnum = message
soveltua = kohane olla = to apply
suoda, antaa = anda = to give
syvällinen = sügav = profound
tarvita, olla vajaa = tarvitseda, vaja olla = to need
tila = koht = space
vähemmän = vähem = less
Vähemmän on enemmän = Vähem on rohkem = Less is more

.

Friday Phrase 4

Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining? That no matter how pime it seems, the sun is always shining behind the clouds - somewhere? In Finnish we would say 'Ei niin pahaa jottei jotain hyvääkin' which sõnasõnaliselt means 'nothing is so bad that there isn't something good as well (in it)'. In Estonia people say that 'iga pilve on hõbe vooderdus'. Aurinko may be behind the clouds, but it still is.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
aurinko = päike = sun
hopea = hõbe = silver
hopeinen =  hõbedane = silvery, of silver
huolimatta siitä miten... = ükskõik kuidas... = no matter how...
hyvä = hea = good
jokainen = iga = every
jossain, jossakin = kuskil, kusagil = somewhere
jotain hyvää = midagi head = something good
kirjaimellisesti = sõnasõnaliselt = literally
paha = halb, paha = bad
paistaa = paista =  to shine
pilvi = pilv = cloud
pilvien takana = pilvede taga =  behind the clouds
pimeä =  pime = dark
sisus, vuori = sisu, vooder, vooderdus =  lining 
takana = taga = behind
uskoa = uskuda = to believe


Updated 16.11.2012

Friday Phrase 3

Who hasn't heard the saying  'Laughter - the best medicine'! Perhaps you are more familiar with 'Naer on parim ravim' or  'Nauru on paras lääke'. You may also hear that  'naer on terviseks' and that 'nauru pidentää ikää'. Whichever language or form you know it by, it is a known fact that it does good to us to laugh. So isn't it a wonderful thing that laughter is contagious?

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
hymy = naeratus = a smile
hymyillä = naeratada = to smile
hyvä asia = hea asi = a good thing
ikä = iga = age
kenties, ehkä = võibolla = perhaps, maybe
kieli = keel = language
kuka = kes = who
lääke = ravim = medicine
mahtava, upea = tore = wonderful 
muoto = vorm, kuju = form
nauraa = naerda = to laugh
nauru = naer = laughter
paras = parim, kõige parem = the best
pidentää = pikendada = to lengthen
tarttuva(a) = nakkav = contagious
tehdä hyvää = head teha = to do good
terveydeksi = terviseks = (good) for your health
terveys = tervis = health
tietää = teada = to know
tunnettu = tuntud = known
tuntea paremmin = paremini tunda = to be more familiar (with)
tuttu = tuttav = familiar, known
tärkeä(ä) = tähtis = important

Updated 9.11.2012

Friday Phrase 2

Ever heard the expression "Better be safe than sorry"? In Finnish we say "Parempi katsoa kuin katua", in Estonian "Parem karta, kui kahetseda". This applied to travelling means inter alia that
a) you make sure that you don't leave home ilma passi (or some other acceptable and valid identification)
b) you come in time to check yourself in and
c) you are aboard in time (lennukis/laeval)
Head reisi!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
ajoissa, hyvissä ajoin = õigeaegselt, õigeks ajaks, parajal ajal = in time
hyväksyttävä = vastvõetav = acceptable
Hyvää matkaa! = Head reisi! = Have a pleasant journey!
ilmaisu = väljendus = expression
ilman passia = ilma passi = without passport
katsoa = vaadata (vaatan) = to look
katua = kahetseda = to regret
kuin = kui = than
laiva = laev = ship, ferry
laivassa = laeval = aboard the ship
lentokone = lennuk = airplane
lentokoneessa = lennukis = aboard the plane
lähteä kotoa = kodust välja minna = to leave home
matka = reis = journey, trip
matkustelu = reisimine = travelling
muun muassa = muu hulgas = among other things, inter alia (Latin)
pahoillaan = kahetsev = sorry
parempi = parem = better
pelätä = karta (kardan) = to fear, worry
soveltaa = kohandada, rakendada = to apply
tarkoittaa, että... = means that...
tulla = tulla = to come
varmistaa = kindlustada = to make sure, ensure
voimassaoleva = kehtiv = valid

Updated 2.11.2012

Friday phrase

"Live and learn" is a nice way of saying that you are never too old to learn. As long as you live, you learn. In Finnish we would say "Oppia ikä kaikki". In Estonia "Inimene õpib kogu elu" - a person learns all his/her life. Anyway, most of us are curious to find out more. So, teretulemast to read, seuraavalla kerralla there will be an article about Tallinn!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Eesti, Viro = Eesti = Estonia
eestiksi, viroksi = eesti keeles = in Estonian
ehkä = võib-olla, ehk = maybe
ei koskaan = ei kunagi = never
elämä = elu = life
elää = elada = to live
ihminen = inimene = man, human being, person
ikä = iga = age
kaikki = kogu = all, whole
liian vanha = liiga vana = too old
niin kauan kuin = nii kaua kui = as long as
oppi = õpetus = teaching, lesson
oppia = õppida = to learn
sanonta = väljend = phrase, saying
seuraavalla kerralla = järgmine kord = next time
suomeksi = soome keeles = in Finnish
utelias = uudishimulik= curious

Comments appreciated.

Updated 31.10.2012