omaiset

Omaiset is a Finnish noun used in formal language to refer to a person’s close family members or next of kin. The term commonly appears in newspapers, obituaries, and official notices, where it designates those considered closest in relation to the deceased or the person being mentioned. In everyday speech, more common expressions such as perhe (family) or läheiset (relatives/close ones) are typically preferred.

The scope of omaiset generally covers the immediate family—such as a spouse, children, parents, and siblings—and may extend to other close relatives depending on the context or institution. It is distinguished from sukulaiset, which means all relatives more broadly, and from the narrower läheiset, which emphasizes emotional closeness rather than formal kinship.

In Finnish usage, omaiset functions as a plural collective noun and is most often encountered in formal or semi-formal contexts. The word is related to oma- “own” in its etymology, reflecting the sense of one’s own people or kin, though contemporary usage is largely fixed to formal announcements and related discourse.

See also: Sukulaiset, Perhe, Läheiset.