periä
Lemma: periä
Translation: to inherit; to collect (payment); to charge; to claim; to derive from (verb)
Etymology: From Proto-Finnic *peri-, from Proto-Uralic *perä ('back, behind'). The semantic development went from 'back, behind' to 'what comes after' to 'what is passed down' (inheritance) and 'what is due' (collecting payment). The root is also found in words like 'perhe' (family) and 'perillinen' (heir), highlighting the connection to lineage and succession.
Example Usage
Hän peri talon isältään.
He inherited the house from his father.
Pankki perii maksun palveluistaan.
The bank charges a fee for its services.
Verottaja perii veroja.
The tax authority collects taxes.
Lapsi perii usein vanhempiensa ominaisuuksia.
A child often inherits characteristics from their parents.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'periä' as related to 'period' in English - what comes after a period of someone's life is their inheritance.
- Connect 'periä' with 'perillinen' (heir) to remember its inheritance meaning.
- For the 'collect payment' meaning, imagine a persistent collector who won't leave until they get what's due.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Finnish culture, inheritance has traditionally been an important concept, with property and land passing down through generations. The verb 'periä' reflects this importance by covering both inheritance and debt collection, showing how both assets and obligations are transferred.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'periä' means 'to inherit' or 'to collect', 'perua' means 'to cancel' or 'to withdraw'. They look similar but have nearly opposite meanings in some contexts.
Confused word:
Hän peruu sopimuksen.
He cancels the contract.
Notes: The verbs follow different conjugation patterns, which can help distinguish them in different forms.
Mnemonic: Think: 'periä' brings things IN (inheritance), while 'perua' takes things AWAY (cancellation).
Explanation: 'Periä' means to inherit or collect, while 'perata' means to clean (fish) or to sort through something.
This word:
Hän perii velkoja.
He collects debts.
Confused word:
Hän peraa kalaa.
He cleans fish.
Notes: These verbs come from different roots despite their similar appearance.
Mnemonic: 'Perata' has an extra 'a' - think of the extra work involved in cleaning fish compared to simply collecting something.