Your country on Earth (maa)
The Finnish word maa has many meanings depending on context:
- ground: Kasvi kasvaa maasta”.
- “A plant grows from the ground.”
- land / country: “Kotimaani on Suomi.”
- “My homeland is Finland.”
- country(side) “Asun maalla ja olen töissä maatilalla.”
- “I live in the countryside and I work on a farm.”
An easy way to remember maa is to think of it as your ma (= “mother Earth”).
In the countryside, there are lot’s of farms = maatila and also agriculture = maatalous (maa + talous = “land economy”).
A person who lives in the countryside is maalainen.
Maisema is landscape : “Maaseudulla on paljon kauniita maisemia.” / “There are lot’s of beautiful scenerys in the countryside”.
If you put together maa and ilma (=air) you have the whole world, so maailma = world.
Also, if you’re close to the ground, you’re lying down – that’s why the verb maata means to lie down.
(Maybe not the true etymology, but a fun way to remember!)
“Maalainen makaa maassa.” / “A coyntryman lies on the ground.”
April 7, 2025