sohva

Sohva is the Finnish word for a sofa or couch, a piece of furniture designed for seating with a back and sometimes arms. It is a common term in everyday language and is used to describe living-room furniture as well as seating in offices and public spaces.

Etymology and cognates: The Finnish form sohva is a loan from Swedish soff a (soffa). The Swedish word, in turn, is related to the English sofa and other European terms that ultimately trace back to the Arabic word suffah, referring to a raised platform or seating area. Related forms appear in other Nordic languages, such as Swedish soffa and Danish/Norwegian equivalents, though Finnish pronunciation adapted the form.

Usage and grammar: In Finnish, sohva is a countable noun with singular and plural forms: sohva and sohvat. It participates in typical noun inflection patterns for everyday speech, including phrases about buying, moving, or upholstering a sofa, and it combines with adjectives and compound expressions describing size, style, or material.

Cultural and practical notes: The sofa is a central element of many Finnish living spaces, often paired with coffee tables, armchairs, and shelving. Room layout, space constraints, and interior design trends influence choices ranging from compact two-seaters to larger sectional sofas and modular arrangements.

See also: Furniture; Finnish language; North Germanic loanwords.