yöt

Yöt is the plural form of the Finnish noun yö, meaning night. It denotes multiple nights or the nights as a time period within a day. The term is used in everyday language, in journalism, and in literary contexts to refer to the hours between sunset and sunrise.

In ordinary usage, yöt covers the portion of the day when it is dark, from the evening until the morning light. Finnish distinguishes night from day, and yöt appears in phrases describing nocturnal conditions, activities, or events, such as long nights or sleepless nights. The word functions across contexts from practical scheduling to poetic imagery.

Geographically and culturally, yöt has particular significance in northern Finland, where seasonal light cycles create extremes. Kaamos refers to the polar night when the sun does not rise for part of the winter, while the yötön yö describes the period of continuous daylight during the summer. These phenomena shape how nights are experienced and discussed in Finnish media and discourse.

In literature, media, and everyday speech, yöt is often used to evoke mood, atmosphere, or memory. It is commonly paired with modifiers such as pitkät (long) or hiljaiset (quiet), among others, to describe the quality of nights. Related terms include yö (singular night) and kaamos or yötön yö, which illustrate the Finnish approach to daily light variation and seasonal rhythms.