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Questions & Answers about Tervetuloa, opiskelija!
What is the literal translation of tervetuloa?
Tervetuloa is made up of two parts: terve (which means healthy, or a common greeting like hello) and tuloa (coming or arrival). So it literally translates to something like 'healthy arrival'!
Does tervetuloa change if I am welcoming more than one person?
No, tervetuloa is a fixed greeting. You can use it exactly like this whether you are welcoming one student or a whole classroom of students.
I know the verb for 'to study'. How does it relate to opiskelija?
In Finnish, adding -ja or -jä to the stem of a verb often creates a noun for the person doing that action. It is exactly like adding '-er' to a verb in English (like teach becoming teacher). So, someone who studies is an opiskelija.
Do I need to change the ending of opiskelija because I am talking directly to them?
No. Unlike some languages, Finnish does not have a special grammatical ending for addressing someone. You just use the basic dictionary form of the word, which is why it stays as opiskelija.