kova

See also: Kova, kõva, and kóva

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kova.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkoʋɑ/, [ˈko̞ʋɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -oʋɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): ko‧va

Adjective

kova (comparative kovempi, superlative kovin)

1. hard (of an object, resistant to pressure)

   Antonym: pehmeä

   1. strict, harsh, severe, unfriendly, hard, stern, brutal (of behavior or character)

      Synonym: ankara

      Antonyms: pehmeä, lempeä

   2. tough (rowdy or rough)

      Hän on kova kaveri.

      He is a tough guy.

   3. tough, hard (demanding a lot of effort to endure)
   4. (physics, ferromagnetism) hard (of material: having the capability of being a permanent magnet)
   5. (of water) hard (high on dissolved calcium and other minerals)
   6. (phonetics) hard, unvoiced (pronounced without using the vocal cords)
   7. (of light) harsh, hard (intensive and creating disagreeable and abrupt contrasts in colour or shading)
   8. (vulgar, of a man) hard, aroused; erect
2. strong, hard, heavy, severe (having a high impact or influence)

   Antonym: (e.g. of wind) heikko

   kova isku ― hard hit, hard blow

   kova tuuli ― strong wind

   Minulla on kova jano.

   I'm very thirsty.

   1. loud (of sound: of great intensity)

      Synonyms: luja, kovaääninen, äänekäs

      Antonym: hiljainen

      Radio on liian kovalla.

      The radio is too loud.

   2. live (of ammunition)

      Tappaja väitti, että hän ei tiennyt aseen olevan ladattu kovilla panoksilla.

      The killer claimed that he didn't know that the weapon was loaded with live rounds.

   3. (finance) unregulated, market-rate, unsubsidized, hard

      Synonyms: (unsubsidized) vapaarahoitteinen, (market-based) markkinaehtoinen

      kova valuutta ― hard currency (globally traded currency that is expected to serve as a reliable and stable store of value)

      kova raha ― unsubsidized financing (especially as opposite to aravalaina (“type of subsidized loan for social housing”))

   4. (pornography) hard, hardcore

      kova porno ― hardcore pornography

3. high, great, ambitious, remarkable

   kova kysyntä ― great demand

   Pidän ilmapiiristä, mutta heidän hintansa ovat aika kovat.

   I like the atmosphere, but their prices are quite high.

   Heillä on kovat suunnitelmat - ensin valloitetaan Pohjoismaiden markkinat, sitten koko maailma.

   They have ambitious plans – first the Nordic market, then the whole world. / They have ambitious plans to first conquer the Nordic market and then the whole world.

   1. excellent, great, well-known

      Synonyms: erinomainen, mainio

      Alle kaksi tuntia on kova aika maratonilla.

      Less than two hours is an excellent time on a marathon.

      Niin, mutta olenkin kovassa kunnossa. Olen kova nimi urheilupiireissä.

      Yes, but I'm in a great shape. I'm a well-known name in the sports circles.

   2. eager, devoted

      Hän on kova kalamies.

      He's an eager fisherman.

      Hän on kova Kärppä-fani.

      He's a devoted fan of the Kärpät.

   3. hard, hardworking

      Hän on kova työmies.

      He's a hard worker.

Declension

Inflection of kova (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		kova	kovat
genitive		kovan	kovien
partitive		kovaa	kovia
illative		kovaan	koviin
		singular	plural
nominative		kova	kovat
accusative	nom.	kova	kovat
	gen.	kovan
genitive		kovan	kovien kovain rare
partitive		kovaa	kovia
inessive		kovassa	kovissa
elative		kovasta	kovista
illative		kovaan	koviin
adessive		kovalla	kovilla
ablative		kovalta	kovilta
allative		kovalle	koville
essive		kovana	kovina
translative		kovaksi	koviksi
abessive		kovatta	kovitta
instructive		—	kovin
comitative		—	kovine

Possessive forms of kova (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
Rare. Only used with substantive adjectives.
first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative kovani kovani accusative nom. kovani kovani gen. kovani genitive kovani kovieni kovaini rare partitive kovaani koviani inessive kovassani kovissani elative kovastani kovistani illative kovaani koviini adessive kovallani kovillani ablative kovaltani koviltani allative kovalleni kovilleni essive kovanani kovinani translative kovakseni kovikseni abessive kovattani kovittani instructive — — comitative — kovineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative kovasi kovasi accusative nom. kovasi kovasi gen. kovasi genitive kovasi koviesi kovaisi rare partitive kovaasi koviasi inessive kovassasi kovissasi elative kovastasi kovistasi illative kovaasi koviisi adessive kovallasi kovillasi ablative kovaltasi koviltasi allative kovallesi kovillesi essive kovanasi kovinasi translative kovaksesi koviksesi abessive kovattasi kovittasi instructive — — comitative — kovinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative kovamme kovamme accusative nom. kovamme kovamme gen. kovamme genitive kovamme koviemme kovaimme rare partitive kovaamme koviamme inessive kovassamme kovissamme elative kovastamme kovistamme illative kovaamme koviimme adessive kovallamme kovillamme ablative kovaltamme koviltamme allative kovallemme kovillemme essive kovanamme kovinamme translative kovaksemme koviksemme abessive kovattamme kovittamme instructive — — comitative — kovinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative kovanne kovanne accusative nom. kovanne kovanne gen. kovanne genitive kovanne kovienne kovainne rare partitive kovaanne kovianne inessive kovassanne kovissanne elative kovastanne kovistanne illative kovaanne koviinne adessive kovallanne kovillanne ablative kovaltanne koviltanne allative kovallenne kovillenne essive kovananne kovinanne translative kovaksenne koviksenne abessive kovattanne kovittanne instructive — — comitative — kovinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative kovansa kovansa accusative nom. kovansa kovansa gen. kovansa genitive kovansa koviensa kovainsa rare partitive kovaansa koviaan koviansa inessive kovassaan kovassansa kovissaan kovissansa elative kovastaan kovastansa kovistaan kovistansa illative kovaansa koviinsa adessive kovallaan kovallansa kovillaan kovillansa ablative kovaltaan kovaltansa koviltaan koviltansa allative kovalleen kovallensa kovilleen kovillensa essive kovanaan kovanansa kovinaan kovinansa translative kovakseen kovaksensa kovikseen koviksensa abessive kovattaan kovattansa kovittaan kovittansa instructive — — comitative — kovineen kovinensa

Derived terms

• kovaa
• kovahko
• Kovanen
• kovasin
• kovasti
• koventaa
• koveta
• kovetin
• kovettaa
• kovike
• kovin
• kovio
• kovis
• kovistaa
• koviten
• kovittaa
• kovo
• kovuus
• ottaa koville
• pitää kovilla
• sen koommin
• silmä kovana

 

compounds

• kivenkova
• kivikova
• kovaiskuinen
• kovajuotos
• kovajuottaa
• kovakallo
• kovakalloinen
• kovakalvo
• kovakantinen
• kovakoodata
• kovakorvainen
• kovakourainen
• kovaksikeitetty
• kovakumi
• kovakuntoinen
• kovakuoriainen
• kovakuorinen
• kovakätinen
• kovalevy
• kovaluonteinen
• kovaluontoinen
• kovametalli
• kovanaama
• kovanaamainen
• Kovaniemi
• kovankypsä
• kovaonninen
• kovaosainen
• kovaotteinen
• kovapalkkainen
• kovapanosammunta
• kovapintainen
• kovapohjainen
• kovapäinen
• kovasanainen
• kovasuinen
• kovasydäminen
• kovaääninen
• luunkova
• metallinkova
• piinkova
• puolikova
• raudankova
• teräksenkova
• timantinkova

 

Further reading

• “kova”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Anagrams

• vako

Hungarian

Etymology

From an otherwise unattested stem + -a (diminutive suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkovɒ]
• Hyphenation: ko‧va
• Rhymes: -vɒ

Noun

kova (plural kovák)

1. flint

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	kova	kovák
accusative	kovát	kovákat
dative	kovának	kováknak
instrumental	kovával	kovákkal
causal-final	kováért	kovákért
translative	kovává	kovákká
terminative	kováig	kovákig
essive-formal	kovaként	kovákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	kovában	kovákban
superessive	kován	kovákon
adessive	kovánál	kováknál
illative	kovába	kovákba
sublative	kovára	kovákra
allative	kovához	kovákhoz
elative	kovából	kovákból
delative	kováról	kovákról
ablative	kovától	kováktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	kováé	kováké
non-attributive possessive - plural	kováéi	kovákéi

Possessive forms of kova
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	kovám	kováim
2nd person sing.	kovád	kováid
3rd person sing.	kovája	kovái
1st person plural	kovánk	kováink
2nd person plural	kovátok	kováitok
3rd person plural	kovájuk	kováik

Further reading

• kova in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kova. Cognates include Finnish kova and Estonian kõva.

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈkoʋɑ/, [ˈko̞ʋɑ]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈkoʋɑ/, [ˈko̞ʋɑ]
• Rhymes: -oʋɑ
• Hyphenation: ko‧va

Adjective

kova (comparative kovemp)

1. hard
   • 1936, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 12:

     A kalastajat - koko talvia merel ollaa, ja pakkaist kittäät, etti jään kovanna pittää.

     And the fishermen - they are on the sea all winter, and thank the frost, that it keeps the ice hard.

2. harsh
   • 18th century, “Kui tulloo syvä syksy [When late autumn comes]”:

     Kui tulloo syvä syksy, kova talvi tallajaa.

     When late autumn comes, the harsh winter sets in.

3. rough
4. strong, sturdy

Declension

Declension of kova (type 3/koira, no gradation, gemination)
	singular	plural
nominative	kova	kovat
genitive	kovan	kovviin
partitive	kovvaa	kovvia
illative	kovvaa	kovvii
inessive	kovas	kovis
elative	kovast	kovist
allative	kovalle	koville
adessive	koval	kovil
ablative	kovalt	kovilt
translative	kovaks	koviks
essive	kovanna, kovvaan	kovinna, kovviin
exessive1)	kovant	kovint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “hard”): pehmiä
• (antonym(s) of “harsh”): raju, valju, valjo
• (antonym(s) of “rough”): pehmiä

Derived terms

• kovain
• kovast
• kovin
• kovvuus

 

References

• V. I. Junus (1936) Iƶoran Keelen Grammatikka‎^[2], Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 59
• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971) Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 199
• Olga I. Konkova, Nikita A. Dyachkov (2014) Inkeroin Keel: Пособие по Ижорскому Языку‎^[3], →ISBN, page 72

Karelian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kova.

Adjective

kova

1. hard

Kilivila

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkova/

Noun

kova

1. fire

References

• Gunter Senft (1986), Kilivila: the Language of the Trobriand Islanders. Berlin • New York • Amsterdam: Mouton de Gruyter, p. 291. →ISBN

Lithuanian

Etymology 1

From káuti +‎ -a.

Pronunciation

• (kovà) IPA^(key): [koːˈvɐ]
• (kõva) IPA^(key): [ˈkǒːvɐ]

Noun

kovà f (plural kõvos) stress pattern 4

1. fight, struggle

Declension

Declension of kovà

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	kovà	kõvos
genitive (kilmininkas)	kovõs	kovų̃
dative (naudininkas)	kõvai	kovóms
accusative (galininkas)	kõvą	kovàs
instrumental (įnagininkas)	kovà	kovomìs
locative (vietininkas)	kovojè	kovosè
vocative (šauksmininkas)	kõva	kõvos

Derived terms

nouns

• dvikova

 

verbs

• kovoti

 

Related terms

verbs

• kauti

 

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kā́ˀwāˀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkôːvɐ]

Noun

kóva f (plural kóvos) stress pattern 1

2. rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Declension

Declension of kóva

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	kóva	kóvos
genitive (kilmininkas)	kóvos	kóvų
dative (naudininkas)	kóvai	kóvoms
accusative (galininkas)	kóvą	kóvas
instrumental (įnagininkas)	kóva	kóvomis
locative (vietininkas)	kóvoje	kóvose
vocative (šauksmininkas)	kóva	kóvos

References

• “kova” in Martsinkyavitshute, Victoria (1993), Hippocrene Concise Dictionary: Lithuanian-English/English-Lithuanian. New York: Hippocrene Books. →ISBN

Ludian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kova.

Adjective

kova

1. hard

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Finnish kova, from expressions like kova raha (“hard money”).

Noun

kova c

1. (informal) money

Usage notes

Only as part of compounds and certain expressions.

Declension

Declension of kova

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	kova	kovas
	definite	kovan	kovans
plural	indefinite	—	—
	definite	—	—

Derived terms

• storkova

References

• kova in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• kova in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• kova in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish قوغه (koğa. kova), from Proto-Turkic *kobga. Cognate to Southern Altai кого (kogo).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkovɑ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ko‧va

Noun

kova (definite accusative kovayı, plural kovalar)

1. bucket

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	kova
Definite accusative	kovayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	kova	kovalar
Definite accusative	kovayı	kovaları
Dative	kovaya	kovalara
Locative	kovada	kovalarda
Ablative	kovadan	kovalardan
Genitive	kovanın	kovaların

Veps

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *kova.

Adjective

kova

1. hard (not soft)
2. solid
3. stiff, rigid
4. strong
5. strict, stern
6. harsh, severe

Inflection

Inflection of kova (inflection type 6/kuva)
nominative sing.	kova
genitive sing.	kovan
partitive sing.	kovad
partitive plur.	kovid
	singular	plural
nominative	kova	kovad
accusative	kovan	kovad
genitive	kovan	koviden
partitive	kovad	kovid
essive-instructive	kovan	kovin
translative	kovaks	kovikš
inessive	kovas	koviš
elative	kovaspäi	kovišpäi
illative	kovaha	kovihe
adessive	koval	kovil
ablative	kovalpäi	kovilpäi
allative	kovale	kovile
abessive	kovata	kovita
comitative	kovanke	kovidenke
prolative	kovadme	kovidme
approximative I	kovanno	kovidenno
approximative II	kovannoks	kovidennoks
egressive	kovannopäi	kovidennopäi
terminative I	kovahasai	kovihesai
terminative II	kovalesai	kovilesai
terminative III	kovassai	—
additive I	kovahapäi	kovihepäi
additive II	kovalepäi	kovilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “жёсткий, жестокий, ожесточённый, сильный, суровый, твёрдый, чёрствый”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎^[4], Petrozavodsk: Periodika