Perheen

Perheen is the genitive singular form of the Finnish noun perhe, meaning “family” or “household.” It is used to indicate possession or association and functions as a possessive determiner in front of another noun. For example, perheen koira means “the family’s dog,” and perheen vanhemmat means “the parents of the family.” The form also appears in compound nouns such as perheenjäsen, meaning “family member.”

In Finnish grammar, the possessor is expressed in the genitive case and precedes the noun it possesses. The structure is possessor in genitive + possessed noun in nominative: perheen koira = the family’s dog. The genitive singular of perhe remains perheen, while the plural form of perhe is perheet, with the corresponding genitive plural perheiden.

Perheen can be used in reference to small or extended conceptions of family, from the immediate household to broader kin networks. It appears in everyday speech as well as in official terms related to family life, such as perhe, perheellinen (family-related), or specific policies like perhevapaa (family leave) and perhetapahtumat (family events). The word itself carries no gender or animacy distinction, aligning with Finnish grammar’s general uniform treatment of nouns.