The Translation Database maintained by FILI contains information on translations of Finnish literature published since 1839. Use the database to search for translations by author, language or year of publication.
The database is updated regularly, but it does have some gaps. We are always happy to receive details of translations that are missing from the database.
Last updated: 02/2022. Source: FILI
What are the top languages for translations of Finnish literature?
Last updated: 02/2022. Source: FILI Translation Database.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | ||||||||
| German | 109 | English | 36 | English | 30 | Estonian | 46 | Estonian | 35 | Russian | 34 | Estonian | 36 | Estonian | 51 |
| Estonian | 27 | Estonian | 28 | Estonian | 29 | German | 41 | German | 32 | German | 29 | German | 25 | German | 27 |
| English | 24 | French | 27 | Danish | 28 | Russian | 28 | Russian | 26 | Estonian | 28 | Czech | 21 | Russian | 26 |
| Chinese | 20 | German | 26 | French | 28 | English | 27 | French | 24 | English | 23 | Swedish | 20 | French | 25 |
| Danish | 20 | Danish | 25 | German | 26 | French | 22 | Czech | 20 | French | 23 | Russian | 20 | Polish | 24 |
| Hungarian | 18 | Swedish | 18 | Czech | 18 | Hungarian | 20 | English | 18 | Czech | 19 | Polish | 18 | Englanti | 20 |
| Russian | 18 | Russian | 18 | Chinese | 17 | Chinese | 18 | Italian | 15 | Spanish | 18 | Spanish | 16 | Swedish | 19 |
| French | 17 | Spanish | 16 | Hungarian | 17 | Danish | 18 | Swedish | 15 | Latvian | 14 | Englanti | 14 | Danish | 19 |
| Spanish | 17 | Czech | 16 | Swedish | 12 | Swedish | 17 | Danish | 15 | Hungarian | 12 | Danish | 12 | Italian | 15 |
| Italian, Czech | 15 | Hungarian | 15 | Bulgarian | 13 | Latvian | 16 | Polish | 13 | Danish | 12 | Italian | 12 | Czech | 15 |
View this information as a map illustration created by Koponen+Hildén.
Most widely translated works
These refer to translations that have been published abroad, not to rights sold.
Last updated: 02/2022. Source: FILI
Fiction / adults
| Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated) |
| 1. Elias Lönnrot | Kalevala | 561 |
| 2. Mika Waltari | Sinuhe egyptiläinen | 40 (42) |
| 3. Sofi Oksanen | Puhdistus | 39 (40) |
| 4. Aleksis Kivi | Seitsemän veljestä | 35 (36) |
| 5. Tove Jansson | Sommarboken | 30 (48) |
| 5. Arto Paasilinna | Jäniksen vuosi | 30 (35) |
| 7. Sofi Oksanen | Kun kyyhkyset katosivat | 26 (40) |
| 7. Arto Paasilinna | Ulvova Mylläri | 26 (35) |
| 9. F.E. Sillanpää | Nuorena nukkunut | 25 (35) |
| 10. Mika Waltari | Valtakunnan salaisuus | 24 (42) |
| 10. Väinö Linna | Tuntematon sotilas | 24 (28) |
| 10. Max Seeck | Uskollinen lukija | 24 (25) |
| 13. Antti Tuomainen | Parantaja | 23 (26) |
| 14. Emmi Itäranta | Teemestarin kirja | 22 (22) |
| 14. Selja Ahava | Taivaalta tippuvat asiat | 22 (22) |
1 61 languages altogether, five translation have been published in Finland.
Non-fiction / adults
| Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated) |
| 1. Ilkka Taipale (ed.) | 100 sosiaalista innovaatiota Suomesta | 321 |
| 2. Katja Pantzar | Finding Sisu | 15 (15) |
| 3. Frank Martela | A Wonderful Life | 17 (17) |
| 4. Henrik Meinander | Finlands historia | 12 (12) |
| 5. Kari Hotakainen | Tuntematon Kimi Räikkönen | 11 (27) |
| 5. Miska Rantanen | Kalsarikänni | 11 (11) |
| 5. Mia Kankimäki | Naiset joita ajattelen öisin | 11 (13) |
| 8. Molla Mills | Virkkuri | 10 (10) |
| 9. Tuula Karjalainen | Tove Jansson: tee työtä ja rakasta | 10 (10) |
| 10. Ari Turunen | Ettekö te tiedä, kuka minä olen? | 9 (9) |
1 43 languages altogether, 10 translation have been published in Finland.
Books for children and young readers
| Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated) |
| 1. Tove Jansson | Trollkarlens hatt | 38 (48) |
| 2. Salla Simukka | Punainen kuin veri | 37 (37) |
| 3. Tove Jansson | Kometen kommer | 34 (48) |
| 4. Silla Simukka | Valkea kuin lumi | 33 (37) |
| 5. Tove Jansson | Farlig midsommar | 32 (48) |
| 5. Tove Jansson | Trollvinter | 32 (48) |
| 7. Salla Simukka | Musta kuin eebenpuu | 30 (37) |
| 8. Tove Jansson | Pappan och havet | 29 (48) |
| 9. Tove Jansson | Muminpappans memoarer | 28 (48) |
| 10. Mauri Kunnas | Joulupukki | 26 (34) |
Non-fiction for children and young readers
| Author | Title | Languages (Total number of languages into which each author’s all works have been translated)i |
| 1. Linda Liukas | Hello Ruby : Adventures in coding | 23 (24) |
| 2. Linda Liukas | Hello Ruby : Journey inside the computer | 12 (24) |
| 3. Laura Ertimo | Ihme ilmat | 11 (13) |
| 4. Linda Liukas | Hello Ruby : Expedition to the Internet | 7 (24) |
| 4. Sami Malila | Muumimamman keittokirja | 7 (10) |
| 6. Maija Barić | Nukketeatteria! | 4 (4) |
| 6. Linda Liukas | Hello Ruby : robotti koulussa | 4 (24) |
For more information on translations that have been published, as well as their languages, translators and publishers, visit the Translation Database.
