01
der Finne
Finn
A male resident or citizen of Finland.
example
Der neue Austauschstudent ist ein Finne aus Turku.
The new exchange student is a Finn from Turku.
der Finne
Finn / pimple
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
The two meanings of 'Finne' are easy to distinguish by context. If people are talking about countries, nationalities, or persons, it means a resident of Finland. If it is about skin, the face, or teenage problems, it means a pimple.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Kollege ist Finne und spricht drei Sprachen.
The new colleague is a Finn and speaks three languages.
Grammar trap: N-declension
When 'der Finne' refers to a person, the word belongs to the N-declension. This means it gets the ending '-n' in all cases except the nominative singular. A common mistake is to forget this ending.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe gestern mit dem Finnen aus dem Nachbarhaus gesprochen.
Yesterday I spoke with the Finn from the house next door.
Word family
The word 'der Finne' is part of a word family related to Finland. This includes the country 'Finnland' (Finland), the feminine form 'die Finnin' (female Finn), and the adjective 'finnisch' (Finnish).
EXAMPLE
Die finnische Sauna ist weltberühmt.
The Finnish sauna is world-famous.
Register: colloquial
The use of 'Finne' for a pimple is colloquial. In a neutral or medical context, the word 'Pickel' (pimple) or 'Hautunreinheit' (skin blemish) is more likely to be used.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe schon wieder eine fiese Finne auf der Nase.
I have another nasty pimple on my nose.
Compare with
Finne vs Pickel
pimple / pickaxe
'der Pickel' and 'der Finne' can both mean a small inflamed spot on the skin. In this sense, they are synonyms. 'Pickel' is much more common in everyday language and is understood by everyone. 'Finne' is less common with this meaning and can easily be misunderstood, because 'der Finne' also means a man from Finland. When talking about skin, 'Pickel' is usually the more natural choice.
Finne
Die Ärztin erklärte, dass die kleine Finne auf der Haut harmlos ist.
The doctor explained that the small pimple on the skin was harmless.
Pickel
Vor dem wichtigen Termin hatte Marie einen Pickel auf der Stirn.
Before the important appointment, Marie had a pimple on her forehead.
In real life
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