The definition of VÄIJYÄ

If you want to learn a word in Finnish you have plenty of rather good options. Basically the Finnish language is known to be very rich and full of different dialects. And that is why foreigners usually know our most widely used words like “VITTU” or “PERKELE”. Also part of our well know verbal culture are these beautiful and ah so meaningful expressions like “JUMALAUTA” and “SAATANA”. I have always tried to have a different approach towards the teaching of real Finnish. Although I Have to admit that “vittu” as a word is so wide and unique that it just has to be taught to everyone. I mean it’s not just the finnish version of “cunt” or “fuck” It is also a word for being depressed (“vituttaa”), a finnish way to say excuse me when bunbing into someone (“Mitä vittua?”), a question for your friend when his girlfriend has dumped him (“vituttaako?”) or even a word for trash talk (“vittuiletsä?”).

I have to admit I have made this word (that I don’t want to mention anymore) famous between roughly 10-15 nationalities. But I have also taught people other not so classical Finnish sayings like “Minusta tulee isona lähihoitaja” (When I grow up I will become a nurse) and words like “ripuli” (diarhea), “makkara” (sausage) and “kuuma kinkku” (hot ham/can be used without food as well…). After all this, even after the V-word I haven’t quite felt I have found the real meaning of the Finnish culture hidden in one word as in the word VÄIJYÄ.

To be honest it is quite new word for me as well. I didn’t use it when I was small, but later on I have learned from the middle part of Finland. I mean I knew what VÄIJYÄ meant. I knew it meant to stalk or observe something, but its more widespread use has really opened the word for me. In its basic meaning it is already a good way to picture the Finnish mentality. To observe, stalk, that’s what we Finnish people do. “I haven’t seen that neighbour man that’s drunk before” or “That blue car has not moved from the parking lot in 3 days” are the Finnish way to say good morning in the breakfast table. When doing this be sure that you don’t have eye contact to any of the other people around the table, but you will be staring out of the window.

Other good way to use VÄIJYÄ is in nightclubs. When a Finnish guy sees a Finnish girl, it is not polite to go and talk to her. NO! You will have to watch her from a distance and the more you drink the more intensive and scary the look gets. I have heard that some brave Finnish men (mainly in the South I think) have asked girls to dance, but where I come from we like to VÄIJYÄ on the door of the nightclub after closing time. This primitive act between young Finnish men and women is also called “ISOJAKO” (the big share), that usually ends in spending a night with a total stranger so drunk that you don’t know where you wake up or then waking home with your mates so drunk that you don’t know where you wake up.

However to get the best out of the word VÄIJYÄ, we have to add something to it. “Korsu” (dugout) is a word for army base during war, You know these rooms for soldiers that are build inside the ground. In the middle parts of Finland it is also used as a synonym for home. So comes the REAL definition of Finnish people and culture in two words… VÄIJYÄ KORSULLA. Ah, so beautiful and so true. If a Finnish person can choose between socialising with other people or staying at home watching cable TV, he/she will choose the last option. If a Finnish person can choose whether to travel or stay in summer cottage all rainy summer, he will get drunk and stay at summer cottage. Basically a Finnish person is VÄIJYMÄSSÄ KORSULLA except when the ISOJAKO is done….Easy? Yes. Cheap? Yes. Social? Enough for a Fin. Fun? Not really, but Finnish person still thinks “I bet outside would be even more boring….”