# uros vs. koiras



## Gavril

Both of these terms refer to male animals -- how does their use differ?

K


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## Hakro

I think that _uros_ can be used for any animal but _koiras_ is seldom used for bigger animals, I'd say bigger than man. For example _koirasnorsu _would sound quite strange. But there may be different opinions.


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## sakvaka

Hakro said:


> I think that _uros_ can be used for any animal but _koiras_ is seldom used for bigger animals, I'd say bigger than man. For example _koirasnorsu _would sound quite strange. But there may be different opinions.



I agree, and so does Wikipedia (if we consider it a reliable source of information ).

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uros

"Koiraista käytetään myös nimitystä *uros*. Tätä nimitystä käytetään lähinnä suurten nisäkäslajien koiraista."


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## meccänkadai

Well, I'd that's not so straight forward because if I'm right the word 'koiras' is used with birds e.g. with wagtail. But also male dogs are called 'koiras'. So it is "uros" with dogs (although smaller than a man).


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## SamiFrenezas

This is the way I use the words: _koiras_ for birds, insects and fish, _uros_ for mammals, even for mice and hamsters. _Koiras_ for a male dog would sound very odd and _uros_ for a bird would probably be judged wrong by anyone speaking  Finnish natively.


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