pentu

Penttu is a Finnish noun meaning a young animal, typically a kitten or a puppy, but it can refer to the young of any animal. It is a common, everyday term used in conversation, pet-care contexts, and children’s literature, and it often appears in compound forms such as kissanpentu (kitten) and koiranpentu (puppy). The word emphasizes youth and developmental stage rather than a specific species.

In everyday usage, penttu can describe animals that are not yet grown, and it is frequently used with pets but can also refer to wild or farm animals in a general sense. It is common to hear phrases like “pentu leikkii” (the young one is playing) or “pentukissa” (kitten). The term can also function metaphorically, referring to a child or a person who is small, inexperienced, or being cared for by someone.

Etymologically, penttu is a native Finnish word and is not generally regarded as a loanword. It has long-standing usage in the Finnish language, occurring in traditional and contemporary texts. While the precise historical origins are not always stated in concise summaries, penttu remains the standard generic term for a young animal in Finnish. See also kissanpentu and koiranpentu for common, specific usages.