sedät

Sedät is the plural form of the Finnish noun setä, meaning uncle. It is used to refer to multiple uncles in a family, typically the brothers of a parent.

In Finnish kinship terms, there is a distinction between setä (uncle) and eno (mother’s brother), as well as täti (aunt) and tädit (aunts). The phrase sedät ja tädit is commonly heard to refer to uncles and aunts in general. Sedät is a standard, informal plural appropriate for everyday speech and storytelling.

Etymology and forms: Setä is a native Finnish word and sedät is formed with the common Finnish plural suffix -t. The word appears across Finnish dialects with minor pronunciation variations.

Usage and register: Sedät is widely used in casual conversation and in literature or media that aims for natural spoken Finnish. In formal writing, speakers may still refer to individual uncles as setä, but sedät serves as the natural plural in most conversational contexts.

Pronunciation: Sedät is pronounced roughly as "SEH-dat," with the stress on the first syllable and ä pronounced like the a in cat. Regional dialects may affect vowel quality and intonation.

Cultural note: The term is a routine part of Finnish kinship vocabulary and reflects everyday ways Finns talk about extended family. It can convey warmth or familiarity depending on tone and context.