Once you’ve learned how to say hello, mastering how to say goodbye in Finnish should be really high up on your list of essential language skills to pick up. Knowing a few key parting phrases will help you navigate formal and informal social situations with finesse, and using the right expressions is guaranteed to leave a favorable impression.
We’ll start off with the most important Finnish words for goodbye, and then walk you through a number of other expressions that Finns use when parting in different contexts. These include phrases that emphasize your desire to see someone again and phrases that you can use to wish someone well. Once you’ve learned a couple of your favorites, it will be easy to mix and match them to get your message across!
If you’re just after a quick translation for the word goodbye in Finnish, look no further. We’ll cover the most common formal and informal ways to say goodbye before moving on to other useful expressions. However, we really recommend sticking around until the end—there are numerous phrases to learn that are guaranteed to come in handy!
1 – Goodbye
When saying goodbye, there’s one word that you can safely use in almost any situation:
Näkemiin. (“Goodbye.”)
This expression is derived from the word nähdä (“to see”), and its literal meaning is “until seeing.” It’s a polite way to say goodbye, so you can use it whenever you’re talking to older people or those you don’t know very well.
The equivalent expression to use when ending a phone call is:
Kuulemiin. (“Goodbye.”)
This one is derived from the word kuulla (“to hear”) and literally means “until hearing.”
2 – Bye
Now that we’ve covered the formal way to say goodbye, let’s see how to say a more informal “bye.” Actually, the words in this section embody how to say hello and goodbye in Finnish—they can be used for both purposes!
Hei (“Hi” / “Bye”)
Moi (“Hi” / “Bye”)
However, the words above can sound a little abrupt when parting, and it’s more common to use these longer variants when taking leave:
Hei hei (“Bye-bye”)
Moi moi (“Bye-bye”)
These Finnish phrases for goodbye are neutral expressions and are very common in Finland. They can be used in a variety of situations, from business meetings to coffee dates with friends.
And finally, these two words are more casual versions of hei and moi:
Heippa (“Hi” / “Bye”)
Moikka (“Hi” / “Bye”)
Hei hei, nähdään koulun jälkeen. (“Bye-bye, see you after school.”)
2. Specific Ways to Say Goodbye
Now you know the most essential expressions, but let’s not leave it there! Now we’re going to learn a number of phrases that will take your goodbyes to the next level.
1 – See you!
The Finnish equivalent to the casual expression “see you” is the verb nähdä (“to see”) in its passive form:
Nähdään! (“See you!”)
Nähdään taas. (“See you again.”)
You can use this expression with people you know well, and whom you expect to see again sometime. Here are a few different variations you can use in case you want to be a bit more specific about when you plan to see them again:
Nähdään pian. (“See you soon.”)
Nähdään myöhemmin. (“See you later.”)
Nähdään huomenna. (“See you tomorrow.”)
Nähdään ensi viikolla. (“See you next week.”)
Nähdään maanantaina. (“See you on Monday.”)
You can customize that final phrase by using any other day of the week—just add the ending -na to the name of the weekday. In case you need a refresher on how to say the days of the week in Finnish, you’ll find them all on this vocabulary list.
Other verbs can also be used in a similar way. Take, for example, the humorous phrase below, using the verb törmäillä (“to repeatedly bump into something”) in the passive form:
Here are some more examples of how to say goodbye in Finland when you expect to meet someone again. In these expressions, the noun is in the illative case.
Ensi kertaan! (“Until next time!”)
Seuraavaan kertaan! (“Until next time!”)
Note that the word ensi can mean either “the first” or “the next,” depending on the context. For example, ensi-ilta refers to the premiere or opening (i.e. the first) night of a film or theater production. In contrast, seuraava always means “the next.”
Using the same form, you can also refer to meeting someone the next day, for example:
Huomiseen! (“Until tomorrow!”)
Ensi viikkoon! (“Until next week!”)
3 – Keep well.
It’s nice to wish somebody well when saying goodbye! Let’s take a look at a couple of ways to do just that.
The verb voida is used to express how someone is feeling or doing. Using the imperative mood, you can use this verb to wish someone well, particularly when you’re not going to see them for a while:
Voi hyvin. (“Keep well.”)
You can also use the word pärjäillä (“to be fine” / “to do okay”) when you want to wish someone well. These expressions are especially relevant when the other person is going through challenging times (though the first one can also be neutral):
Pärjäile. (“Hang in there.”)
Koita pärjätä. (“Try to hang in there.”)
Want to wish them all the best? Say this:
Kaikkea hyvää.
(“All the best.”)
Koita pärjätä. (“Try to hang in there.”)
4 – It was nice to see you.
Here’s how to tell someone that you’ve enjoyed your time with them:
Oli kiva nähdä. (“It was nice to see you.”)
Note that the Finnish sentence doesn’t actually include the words “it” (se) and “you” (sinä). A literal translation would be: “Was nice to see.”
Here are a couple of similar expressions:
Oli hauska tutustua. (“It was fun to meet you.”)
Oli mukava jutella. (“It was lovely to chat with you.”)
Would you like to construct more sentences like those above to suit a specific situation? Look up more verbs in Finnish on our most common verbs list.
5 – Let’s keep in touch.
Have you made a nice Finnish friend and want to chat again? Here are a few Finnish goodbye phrases you can use to say so. Remember nähdään (“see you”)? Again, we’re going to use the passive form of our chosen verb:
Pidetään yhteyttä. (“Let’s keep in touch.”)
Palataan asiaan. (“Let’s get back to it.”)
Palaillaan. (“Let’s get back to it.” – A casual alternative to the phrase above.)
Soitellaan. (“Let’s keep calling.”)
Kirjoitellaan. (“Let’s keep writing.”)
Soitellaan. (“Let’s keep calling.”)
6 – Have a nice day.
Here are a few different ways to tell someone to have a nice time as you part ways:
Hyvää päivän jatkoa. (“Have a nice day onwards.”)
Hauskaa iltaa. (“Have a fun evening.” – Used especially when the other person has special plans.)
Hyvää illan jatkoa. (“Have a nice evening onwards.”)
Hyvää yötä. (“Goodnight.”)
Hyvää viikonloppua. (“Have a nice weekend.”)
Hyvää lomaa. (“Have a nice vacation.”)
Note that the word jatko in päivän jatkoa and illan jatkoa refers to a “continuation” of the day or evening. You can use the word jatko by itself, too. This expression is suited for situations when you’re not going to see the other person for a while:
Hyvää jatkoa. (“All the best in the future.”)
Hyvää yötä! (“Goodnight!”)
7 – Farewell.
Tread carefully! This is an expression that you should only really use if you never expect (or intend) to see someone again:
Hyvästi. (“Farewell.”)
This word is derived from the word hyvä (“good”), and it’s used as a common way to wish someone well when parting. So why does it have a somewhat negative connotation now? The meaning of the word changed during wartime—because you couldn’t be sure if you would ever see your loved ones again, the expression became associated with a permanent parting of ways. Nowadays, hyvästi is rarely used in Finland, and it sounds fairly formal.
Hyvästimeans goodbye forever.
8 – Saying goodbye in an email or letter
What about saying goodbye in writing? Here are a couple of ways to close an email or letter in Finnish:
Terveisin. (“Best wishes.”)
Ystävällisin terveisin. (“Kind regards.”)
Rakkaudella. (“Much love.”)
Kiittäen. (“Thanks.”)
You can learn more Finnish expressions to use in emails and letters on here.
3. Goodbye Gestures in Finland
So now you’ve learned a lot of goodbye expressions, but what about goodbye gestures?
A simple wave of the hand works in any casual situation, whereas a brief and firm handshake is commonplace when saying goodbye in formal situations. Hugging is common among close friends, family members, and romantic partners, while French-style cheek kisses are not used in Finland.
Want to learn more about Finnish customs and manners? Read more about the topic on This is Finland.
If in doubt, shake hands!
4. Lopuksi
In this article, you’ve learned numerous ways to say goodbye in Finnish, so you’ll never be at a loss for words when taking your leave! If you’re unsure about how to pronounce these expressions, you can find recordings of many of them on our list of the most common ways to say goodbye in Finnish, available for free on FinnishPod101.com.
Which expressions are your favorites? Are there any other ways to say goodbye in Finnish you’ve heard that we didn’t cover? As always, we love to hear from you, so join the discussion by leaving a comment!
Finnish has a reputation of being a difficult language to learn. But is Finnish hard to learn, really?
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has come up with a difficulty ranking for language-learning based on how different each language is from English. Using this system, FSI has placed Finnish in category IV. In other words, an English-speaker would need approximately forty-four weeks (or 1,100 hours) to reach general professional proficiency in Finnish (speaking and reading).
In general, it’s the Finnish grammar that tends to put learners off. However, there are many aspects of the language that learners also find very straightforward and simple! So perhaps we should reframe the question: How easy is it to learn Finnish?
Let’s take a closer look at each side of the coin so you can decide for yourself!
Does Finnish deserve its reputation as a difficult language?
1. Why Finnish is a Lot Easier to Learn Than You Think!
1 – The pronunciation is highly regular.
If you’ve ever struggled with unpredictable pronunciation and silent letters while learning a new language, you’re going to love Finnish! In general, each sound in the Finnish language corresponds to a specific letter in the alphabet. Learn these sounds and you can simply “say what you see” (with very few exceptions).
The Finnish stress pattern is also a gift to language-learners: the primary stress always falls on the first syllable of a word. So forget about awkward accent marks—you’ll find none in Finnish.
Most sounds used in Finnish correspond to a specific letter.
2 – There’s no grammatical gender or articles.
If you were learning a language like French or Spanish, having to memorize the gender of each noun would certainly slow you down. Finnish-learners rejoice: You can forget all about that nonsense! There are no gendered nouns in Finnish. Even the third person singular pronoun hän (“he” / “she”) is gender-neutral, so there’s no risk of offending anyone by accidentally using the wrong pronoun.
There are no articles either. Whether you’re talking about “a dog” or “the dog,” in Finnish, it’s the same: koira.
You’ll find no gendered nouns in Finnish!
3 – It’s easy to expand your vocabulary fast.
At first glance, Finnish can look completely alien to an English-speaker. However, learning new words can be surprisingly easy.
Loanwords
It won’t take long until you start spotting familiar words. Finnish has borrowed many words from other languages, and according to lexicographers, the number of English loanwords entering Finnish is growing every year. A relatively recent addition is internetti (“internet”), or netti for short.
Compound words
Another reason you’ll be able to expand your Finnish vocabulary faster than you thought is the large number of compound words in the language. It’ll often be a breeze to work out the meaning of a compound word if you’re already familiar with the component words.
jääkaappi (“fridge” – “ice + cupboard”)
tietokone (“computer” – “knowledge + machine”)
Derivative suffixes
Another thing that can help you pick up Finnish words quickly is to learn related words in groups. All the words in the list below are derived from the same word stem:
kirja (“book”)
kirjain (“letter” / “character”)
kirjasto (“library”)
kirjanen (“pamphlet”)
kirjoitus (“text” / “writing” – noun)
kirjailija (“writer”)
kirjaimellinen (“literal”)
kirjallisuus (“literature”)
kirjoittaa (“to write”)
Many of these words have been created by attaching a suffix to the word stem. For example, the word for “library” is created by applying the suffix -sto, which signifies a collection of things (books, in this case). Familiarizing yourself with some of the more common suffixes can really speed up your vocabulary learning!
Learn more about Finnish noun-forming suffixes here and find more derivational suffixes here.
Kirjasto (“library”) literally means ‘a collection of books.’
4 – There’s no future tense.
Could Finnish be any more streamlined? Yes! Because there’s no future tense. Why overcomplicate things?
Future actions in Finnish are usually expressed using the present tense. You can work out the difference from the context or from the use of adverbs like huomenna (“tomorrow”) or ensi vuonna (“next year”).
Talking about the future? Just use the present tense!
5 – The grammar is consistent.
Few things about language-learning are as frustrating as learning a rule by heart only to trip over one exception after another. We’ll get to the challenging aspects of Finnish grammar in due course, but for now, let us just say this: Finnish grammar is typically very consistent and regular. Yes, it may take you a while to become ‘besties’ with Finnish grammar, but once you do, you’ve found yourself a very good friend that you can rely on!
2. What are the Challenging Parts of Learning Finnish?
We’re never going to lie and say that learning Finnish is all easy. There are aspects of the language that can feel very frustrating at first—but the same is true about any language, right? The trick is to know what you’re in for, take it step-by-step, and keep the faith!
Here are a few things that make Finnish hard to learn…
1 – The notorious noun cases
English-speakers are used to relying on lots of little words, like prepositions, to convey information. In Finnish, the same is usually achieved by inflecting words. While only three noun cases are used in modern English (the subjective, the objective, and the possessive), there’s a grand total of fifteen noun cases in Finnish.
Understandably, this can make prospective Finnish-learners nervous. To illustrate the difficulties, let’s talk about cake.
Minä pidän kakusta. (“I like cake.”)
Minä haluan kakkua. (“I want cake.”)
Minulla on kakku. (“I have a cake.”)
Minä söin kakun. (“I ate a cake.”)
Minä olen kyllästynyt kakkuun. (“I’m sick of cake.”)
You’ve just seen five different cases (elative, partitive, nominative, genitive, and illative) in action! Wherever you turn, you’re bound to run into noun cases. But while it may take you a while to learn the rules, remember that Finnish grammar is consistent and logical. You’ve got this!
Sick of cake—or noun cases?
2 – Say hello to even more word endings
As if noun cases weren’t enough, there are even more endings for you to learn. You have a choice of seven different clitics. They can often be combined, like this:
Onkohan se totta? (“I wonder if it’s true?”)
In the example above, the ending -ko turns the verb on (“is”) into a question, while the ending -han changes the tone, making the question less pressing and direct (“I wonder if”). If using more than one clitic, you need to get the order right!
Learn more about Finnish clitics and their uses here.
Onkohan se totta? (“I wonder if it’s true?”)
3 – Verb conjugation
Verb conjugation is another thing that can make the Finnish language hard to learn and induce feelings of dread in new learners! In Finnish, there are six main types of verbs that all behave somewhat differently. In order to inflect verbs correctly, you’ll need to be able to recognize the different verb types and remember what changes take place when the verb is inflected.
However, we’ve got some good news, too. You’ll be glad to know that irregular verbs are very rare in Finnish! The main offenders are the verb olla (“to be”), juosta (“to run”), tehdä (“to do”), and nähdä (“to see”). Once you’ve dealt with those, you’re unlikely to come across another irregular verb.
Find a concise introduction to Finnish verbs on our website, learn more about the six different Finnish verb types in this lesson, and dive deeper into Finnish verb conjugation on Wikipedia.
Juosta (“to run”): a rare example of an irregular verb in Finnish.
4 – Consonant gradation
Consonant gradation has to do with spelling changes that affect the stem of a noun when an ending is added. It’s also considered one of the most tedious aspects of learning Finnish! However, the rules of consonant gradation are logical, so there’s no doubt that you’ll master this skill—as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.
Learn about consonant gradation here, and see more examples in this lesson.
5 – Finnish is full of long words
The Finns’ love for compound words can get out of hand sometimes. In theory, it’s possible to coin massive word monsters by combining any number of words (though four words is typically the maximum you’ll see). From a learner’s point of view, this can make some Finnish words a nightmare to make sense of.
Here are some long Finnish compound words that you might come across:
käsipyyherullajärjestelmä (“hand towel roll system”)
pyyhkäisyelektronimikroskooppi (“scanning electron microscope”)
As you can imagine, these are not only hard to spell, but they’re also some pretty hard Finnish words to pronounce!
Thankfully, most compound words consist of only two words! And once you’re more comfortable with compound words, you can even start having fun with them. That is, you can create your very own compound words in Finnish, and no one will bat an eyelid as long as they make sense!
Is that a word or a tongue-twister?!
3. I Want to Learn Finnish. Where Should I Start?
1 – Define your goal.
First of all, be clear about why you want to learn Finnish! Do you want to learn a little conversational Finnish in preparation for a trip to Finland? Are you dreaming of living in Finland one day and want to pass the YKI exam? Or are you addicted to Nordic Noir and desperate to read Finnish crime novels that haven’t been translated yet?
Your learning strategy will depend on what you want to achieve, so define your goal and keep it in mind to stay motivated!
Stay focused on your learning target.
2 – Start with the vocabulary that you need the most.
If you’re planning to learn Finnish, you’ll want to start using the language as quickly as possible. To do just that, make sure you prioritize learning the most relevant vocabulary and expressions. Of course, what’s most relevant depends on you! Are you planning to travel around Finland? Get started with some essential travel vocabulary. Or perhaps you’re dating a Finn? Learn how to compliment him or her.
Plan to travel in Finland? Start learning travel vocabulary, like matkalaukku (“suitcase”).
3 – Break grammar into manageable chunks.
Finnish grammar can feel overwhelming at times, but you don’t need to take it all in right away! Focus on practicing just a few noun cases at first, and tackle the conjugation of one verb type at a time. And if you do get frustrated, remember that Finnish is a very logical and methodical language. Remain patient, and you’ll get there!
4 – Speak from day one.
You may think of speaking as one of the last steps you take in the process of learning a new language. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself by mispronouncing words or making grammar mistakes, right? No—we passionately advocate the exact opposite! Start speaking Finnish as soon as possible, and use every opportunity to use the words and phrases that you’re learning. This will boost your confidence and also help you learn by trial and error. Don’t ever let the fear of making mistakes hold you back.
Learning a language takes time and effort. If it didn’t, we’d all be polyglots! Therefore, you’re likely to get frustrated at times. If this happens to you, take a break from whatever you’re struggling with and focus on something easier (like learning new vocabulary) for a bit. And if you ever get really stuck, you can always reach out to an experienced Finnish tutor for extra help and guidance.
2 – Immerse yourself.
Boost your learning by taking every opportunity to expose yourself to Finnish. Find Finnish music and podcasts to listen to (you’re getting used to the sounds and the rhythm of the language, even if you understand very little to start with!). You should also watch YouTube videos and films in Finnish, and start reading articles and books as soon as possible. Seeing and hearing Finnish used in real life helps solidify the lessons you’ve learned in a fun and exciting way.
3 – Team up with other learners.
Sharing your triumphs and struggles, and exchanging language-learning tips with other people, can be really motivating! Why not chat with other Finnish learners on social media? Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages to engage with other learners.
4 – Make language-learning a part of your routine.
If you can make time for language-learning on a regular basis, you’ll make progress a lot faster. The best way is to schedule time to study Finnish each day. Could you fit in a lesson or two during your morning commute or your lunch break? Our language apps allow you to access Finnish lessons anywhere, and are the perfect way to incorporate Finnish-learning effortlessly into your life, no matter how busy you are!
Use our app to access Finnish lessons on-the-go.
5. Why is FinnishPod101 Great for Learning Finnish?
If you’re keen to learn Finnish, FinnishPod101 has an effective learning system for learners at every level.
1 – An integrated approach
One of the strengths of our method is combining multiple skills into a single lesson. Combining grammar notes with a listening exercise, for example, makes our lessons more organic and powerful, helping you progress faster.
2 – Plenty of free resources
Whether you’re just dipping your toes into Finnish-learning to see if it’s really for you, or are already fully committed to becoming fluent, we have a huge collection of suitable learning materials for you. Even better, a lot of our content is completely free to use.
3 – Customizable content
From customized vocabulary flashcards to lesson pathways tailored to your specific needs, our system is designed to support you and help you reach your personal learning goals, whatever they are.
4 – Extra help from a Finnish tutor
If you ever need extra support or want to take your language learning to the next level, our Premium PLUS program gives you access to a private Finnish tutor. Your tutor can help you with all aspects of language-learning, such as giving you feedback on your pronunciation and providing personalized assignments to help you test your knowledge.
We’ll help you succeed!
So how hard is it to learn Finnish? In this guide, we’ve discussed the notorious noun cases (among other stumbling blocks that Finnish-learners face), as well as the many ways in which Finnish can be surprisingly straightforward. Our final verdict is this: The language has its challenges, but learning Finnish is definitely doable—and also very rewarding!
What are your thoughts? Are you feeling more hesitant or reassured? Feel free to reach out to us if you want to know more about how we can help you learn Finnish!
Learning a new language is a great adventure. On your journey, you’ll come across many tricky sounds, some confusing grammar, and many words that seem to behave strangely for no good reason…
But all good adventurers come prepared, and we’re here to help you prepare! That is, we’ll shine our spotlight on the ten most common Finnish mistakes, so that your journey will go that much more smoothly. In addition, knowing what Finnish mistakes to watch out for will give you an easier time making yourself understood when speaking with locals.
We’ll be looking at common pronunciation mistakes for Finnish-learners, typical mistakes in Finnish grammar, and a few other things that Finnish-learners often struggle with. Be sure to read to the end of this guide, where we’ll reveal the biggest mistake of all!
Älä huoli, kaikki tekevät virheitä! (“Don’t worry, everybody makes mistakes!”)
1. Long Vowels and Double Consonants
Have you noticed how many Finnish words sound extremely similar to each other? Often, the only difference is a double letter, so it’s very easy to mix up similar words. However, taking time to tune your ear to the sound of long vowels and double consonants—and getting your pronunciation right—is very important. A single letter can change the meaning of a word drastically.
Consider these very similar-sounding statements:
Tapaan Esan huomenna! (“I’m meeting Esa tomorrow!”)
Tapan Esan huomenna! (“I’m killing Esa tomorrow!”)
Poor Esa will surely hope you meant the first one! Here are other examples of words that look and sound very similar:
tuli / tuuli / tulli (“fire” / “wind” / “customs”)
muta / mutta / muuttaa (“mud” / “but” / “to move”)
tili / tiili / tilli (“account” / “brick” / “dill”)
Here’s the rule of thumb when it comes to pronunciation: Double equals longer and stronger.
Tuli, ei tuuli! (“Fire, not wind!”)
2. Tricky Sounds
While most sounds in Finnish will present no problems for English-speakers, there are a couple that can be challenging and require some practice to get right. Trust us, with enough practice and exposure, you’ll be able to avoid an embarrassing pronunciation mistake in Finnish later on down the line.
Let’s take a closer look at the Finnish ä, ö, y, and r!
Ä
Ä: pronounced like “a” in “that” and “cat”
Ää: pronounced like the “a” in “bad” and “sad”
Go ahead and say these words out loud:
äkkiä (“quickly”)
äiti (“mother”)
ääni (“sound”)
häät (“wedding”)
Ö
Ö: Pronounced like “e” in “better”
Öö: Pronounced like “ea” in “earn” or “u” in “turn”
A few words for you to practice with:
öinen (“nightly”)
ötökkä (“bug”)
lööppi (“headline”)
söötti (“cute” – colloquial)
Y
The “y” sound is one of the trickiest for Finnish-learners to master, because it isn’t found in English. The best way to get the sound just right is to listen to recordings of Finnish words with y and repeat those words until you feel confident.
For example, listen to the recording of tyttärentytär (“granddaughter”) on this vocabulary list.
Here are a few more words for you to practice with:
yksi (“one”)
nyt (“now”)
kyynel (“teardrop”)
tyyny (“pillow”)
R
If you’re struggling with the Finnish “r,” take heart—even many Finns get help from a speech therapist to correct their ärrävika (saying “r” incorrectly) while growing up!
If you’ve ever studied Spanish, you’ll have an advantage because the Finnish “r” is similar to the “r” sound in Spanish. The key to getting the clear sound is to really roll the “r.” You can literally feel your tongue vibrating when you’re doing it right!
Note that the Finnish “r” is made at the front of the mouth (the same place where you make the “d” sound!), while the English “r” is made further back in the mouth.
Here’s a selection of Finnish words to practice rolling your “r” with. Remember to make the sound longer when you see a double “r”!
ravintola (“restaurant”)
radio (“radio”)
suuri (“big”)
murre (“dialect”)
If you’re feeling especially brave, try this Finnish tongue-twister:
Ärrän kierrän ympäri orren. (“I wrap the ‘r’ around the perch.”)
Alright, so we’ve gone on quite a bit about Finnish words that are similar to each other. Now we’re going to talk about homonyms—words that sound and look the same but have different meanings. They’re very common in Finnish!
Being aware of common homonyms means that you’re less likely to trip over them, so let’s take a look at some examples, starting with the classic kuusi palaa.
The word kuusi can mean any of these things:
“Six”
“A fir tree”
“Your moon” (kuu + the possessive suffix -si)
The word palaa can mean any of these things:
“Pieces” (in the partitive case)
“Burns”
“Returns”
Therefore, kuusi palaa can mean a fair number of things, including “six pieces” and “the fir tree is burning”!
Here are a few more words with different meanings:
Tuli (“fire” or “came” in third person singular)
Keksi (“biscuit” or “invented” in third person singular)
If you’re spending time in Finland, you’ll probably hear no niin (or noni) uttered a lot. Many Finnish-learners are confused by the sheer range of meanings that this simple utterance can have. It can signal enthusiasm, disappointment, and irritation, for starters. You can’t simply decide that no niin means “well” or “now” and be done with it. The Finnish stand-up comedian Ismo Leikola went so far as to claim that no niin is the most important Finnish expression there is!
Here are a few examples of no niin in action.
No niin, ruoka on valmista! (“Okay, the food is ready!”)
No niin, hieno homma! (“That’s great, well done!”)
No niin, taas mennään. (“Oh dear, here we go again.”)
No niin, aika näyttää. (“Well, time will tell.”)
5. Postpositions
In general, you’ll find that Finnish word order is not that dissimilar from the English one. Take this basic declarative sentence:
Mies söi omenan. (“A man ate an apple.”)
It follows the subject + verb + object order that you’re already familiar with.
However, there are still a few word order surprises for Finnish-learners. A case in point is Finnish postpositions, which express place, cause, time, consequence, or relation. While in English, you would say “behind the sofa” or “after school,” in Finnish, you’ll put the adposition after your noun, hence the term postposition. Note that the noun will usually be in the genitive case.
Look at these examples with the postposition underlined:
Though far less common, there are a few prepositions in Finnish as well. The most useful ones to memorize are ennen (“before”) and ilman (“without”). Note that the noun is now in the partitive case.
Ennen joulua (“Before Christmas”)
Ilman apua (“Without help”)
Wait! Then we have a couple of words that can be either, such as keskellä (“in the middle of”) and lähellä (“near”)! Remember that the order affects the case of the noun.
Keskellä kaupunkia (“In the middle of the city”)
Kaupungin keskellä (“In the middle of the city”)
Learn more vocabulary related to positions and directions on our website.
Selän takana (“Behind the back”)
6. The Object Trilemma: Partitive, Nominative, or Accusative?
One aspect of Finnish grammar that scares prospective learners (and frustrates the current ones) the most is the use of numerous noun cases. We agree, it’s a lot to wrap your head around. But on the bright side, once you’ve mastered your noun cases, you’ll be well on your way to Finnish fluency!
The best approach to learning the noun cases is to focus on a few at a time and practice them a lot (and then practice them some more). Right now, we’ll focus on the tricky trilemma of choosing whether to put the object of your sentence into the nominative, accusative, or partitive case. Getting it wrong is one of the easiest mistakes in Finnish to make, but we know that you can do this!
1. The object in the partitive case
Choose the partitive when:
The object follows a partitive verb, such as rakastaa (“to love”), vihata (“to hate”),or odottaa (“to wait for”).
The object is a part of a negative sentence.
The object follows a number.
The action is taking place now and may not be fully completed.
The object is uncountable.
Examples:
Minä rakastan sinua. (“I love you.”)
En halua koiraa. (“I don’t want a dog.”)
Sanna lukee kirjaa. (“Sanna is reading a book.”)
Arto juo kahvia. (“Arto is drinking coffee.”)
2. The object in the nominative case
Choose the nominative when:
The object follows a verb that’s in the passive form.
The object follows a necessive, such as minun on pakko (“I have to”), minun täytyy (“I must”), or minun pitää (“I need”).
The object follows a command.
Examples:
Tänään siivotaan keittiö. (“Today, the kitchen is cleaned.”)
Minun täytyy pedata sänky. (“I must make the bed.”)
Ota puhelin. (“Take the phone.”)
3. The object in the accusative case
Finally, choose the accusative case when:
The action has been fully completed.
The intention is to fully complete the action.
Examples:
Ostin kesämökin. (“I bought a summer cottage.”)
Aion sulkea oven. (“I’m going to close the door.”)
No niin, you’ve probably already spotted a problem here. What if several of these rules apply to the same sentence? Well, in situations like that, the partitive trumps the nominative, and the nominative trumps the accusative. So, the hierarchy looks like this:
Partitive > Nominative > Accusative
Can you think of a mnemonic to help you remember the correct order? Things get more complicated when you add things like plurals or possessive suffixes into the mix, but that is a lesson for another day! For now, keep your eye on objects and cases whenever you’re reading Finnish sentences, and see if you can work out which rule is being followed.
Tyttö lukee kirjaa. (“A girl is reading a book.”)
7. Vowel Harmony
Compared to the difficulty of wrestling with the Finnish noun cases, figuring out vowel harmony is a walk in the park. Still, forgetting about vowel harmony is a common mistake in the Finnish language, so let’s take a closer look.
What exactly is vokaaliharmonia (“vowel harmony”), and why does it matter? In Finnish, vowels are grouped into front, back, and neutral vowels.
Front vowels: A, O, U
Back vowels: Y, Ä, Ö
Neutral vowels: E, I
Normally, you can’t mix front and back vowels in the same word, while neutral vowels can mix with either front or back vowels. Knowing this will help you with your spelling, but more importantly, it will help you choose the right endings when you inflect words.
For example, talo (“house”) in the partitive case becomes taloa, but mörkö (“ghost”) inflected in the partitive case becomes mörköä. Words containing only neutral vowels generally take the same ending as words with back vowels. For example: vintti (“attic”) becomes vinttiä in the partitive case.
Note that there are some words that don’t follow the rules, including many loanwords.
konduktööri (“conductor”)
Olympialaiset (“Olympics”)
Vokaaliharmonia ei päde olympialaiset-sanaan. (“Vowel harmony doesn’t apply to the word ‘Olympics’.”)
8. Consonant Gradation
Another type of error Finnish-learners make quite often has to do with astevaihtelu (“consonant gradation”). It’s something you’ll come across a lot in your Finnish studies, so it’s good to learn about it sooner rather than later!
Consonant gradation comes into play when we add an ending to a noun or a verb. There are “strong” and “weak” grades of words, and these grades determine whether the word changes or not. As you probably guessed, “strong” words don’t change while “weak” words do.
We’ll look at simple consonant gradation affecting words with the consonants K, P, and T.
Examples of words in the nominative case (the basic form), which is always strong:
pankki (“bank”)
kuppi (“cup”)
katto (“roof”)
The same words are also strong in the following cases:
Partitive: pankkia, kuppia, kattoa
Illative: pankkiin, kuppiin, kattoon
Essive: pankkina, kuppina, kattona
See? No changes there. However, when the same words are in the following cases, they become weak and drop a letter:
Plural: pankit, kupit, katot
Genitive: pankin, kupin, katon
Inessive: pankissa, kupissa, katossa
Elative: pankista, kupista, katosta
Adessive: pankilla, kupilla, katolla
Ablative: pankilta, kupilta, katolta
Allative: pankille, kupille, katolle
Translative: pankiksi, kupiksi, katoksi
That was so easy that you’ll no doubt want to know more about Finnish consonant gradation. Luckily, there’s a lot more to learn! You could start by reading this Wikipedia article or listening to this audio lesson.
Just doing some light reading on Finnish consonant gradation.
9. Repeating Things Unnecessarily
One mistake that many Finnish-learners make is putting a lot of effort into things like memorizing correct verb conjugation but not taking advantage of what they’ve learned! Whatever do we mean? Well, conjugating like a pro allows you to become “lazy.” That is, you can start dropping unnecessary words like minä (“I”)!
Take a look at this introduction:
Hei, minä olen Helena! Minä asun Oulussa. (“Hi, I’m Helena! I live in Oulu.”)
Our example is grammatically correct. However, the conjugated verb already tells us that the subject of the sentence is “I.” Therefore, you can drop it and no one will miss it!
Hei, olen Helena! Asun Oulussa.
Leaving out words that aren’t strictly necessary sounds more natural to Finnish ears. The same applies when you’re asking questions. Feel free to drop sinä (“you”) as well. For example:
Puhutko sinä suomea? (“Do you speak Finnish?”)
Puhutko suomea?
Listen to this audio lesson, where we chat more about this common mistake.
10. Not Preparing for Spoken Finnish
For many Finnish-learners, their first time talking to a Finn in real life comes as a shock. Why? Spoken Finnish can sound very different from standard Finnish!
In general, spoken Finnish is simply more economical than standard Finnish.
Here are some common features of spoken Finnish:
Syllables are dropped.
e.g. mutta (“but”) becomes mut.
Words are ‘squished’ together.
e.g. Tuutsä? (“Are you coming?”) instead of Tuletko sinä?
The word se (“it”) replaces hän (“he” / “she”).
The verb is in the passive form in the first person plural.
e.g. Me ollaan koulussa. (“We are in school.”) instead of Me olemme koulussa.
The possessive suffix is dropped.
e.g. Minun koira (“My dog”) instead of Minun koirani.
No niin, we’ve finally made it to the big reveal! So, what is the biggest mistake a Finnish-learner could make? Being afraid of making mistakes! That’s right; mistakes are a part of your learning journey, so embrace them.
We certainly don’t expect you to never make any of the mistakes mentioned in this article. What we do hope, though, is that you’ve become more aware of the common pitfalls, so that you’ll notice more easily when you might have stumbled. In order to learn from our mistakes, we need to be able to notice them first!
FinnishPod101 is full of free resources to help you with your Finnish studies, so remember to make full use of them! For example, a brilliant way to perfect your pronunciation of tricky Finnish sounds is to listen to the audio recordings that accompany our vocabulary lists and repeat each word out loud!
And if you’d like an experienced teacher to help you wrap your head around consonant gradation or any other grammar rules, our Premium PLUS one-on-one coaching is perfect for you.
However you prefer to learn, we’re cheering you on!
Before you go, let us know in the comments how many of these mistakes you’ve made before. We look forward to hearing from you!
Have you ever stopped to think just how often we ask questions on a daily basis? Questions are incredibly helpful in our everyday lives—and doubly so when we’re speaking a foreign language! Learning Finnish conversational questions and answers will not only help you navigate practical situations (like finding a bank) while you’re in Finland, but it’ll also allow you to converse more naturally with Finns in social situations.
This guide will introduce you to the basics of forming questions in Finnish. After that, we’ll cover the ten most useful questions in Finnish for beginners. And of course, we’ll go over a number of ways to answer each question, so that you can always be ready with a reply!
Asking and answering questions keeps a conversation going!
1. How to Ask Questions in Finnish
Before you learn the ten most common Finnish language questions, we’ll take a brief look at the two main ways to form questions in Finnish.
A – Creating closed questions
Closed questions—questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”—are very easy to form in Finnish! All you need to do is take a statement, place the verb at the beginning, and add -ko or -kö to the end of the verb.
The correct ending is determined by vowel harmony. The rule of thumb is: if the word contains back vowels (a, o, u), choose -ko; if the word contains front vowels (ä, ö, y) or only neutral vowels (i, e), choose -kö.
Here are a few examples:
Se on totta. (“It is true.”)
Now, begin the question with the verb (on) and add the correct ending (-ko) to the verb.
Onko se totta? (“Is it true?”)
Another example:
Sinä pidät kahvista. (“You like coffee.”)
Pidätkö sinä kahvista? (“Do you like coffee?”)
Let’s see how you can answer this important question!
i- Affirmative Answers
When the answer is “yes,” you can simply use the word kyllä (“yes”), or the colloquial joo. It’s also common to simply repeat the verb and drop the word kyllä altogether—just remember to conjugate the verb correctly!
When the answer is ei (“no”), things get a little bit trickier. It’s important to remember that the negative verb in Finnish is conjugated in the six personal forms, like this: en, et, ei, emme, ette, eivät. We’ll take a look at three different ways to say that you don’t like coffee.
1. Use ei (“no”), the conjugated form of the negative verb, and the main verb:
► Ei, en pidä kahvista. (“No, I don’t like coffee.”)
2. Use the conjugated form of the negative verb and the main verb:
► En pidä. (“No.” Literally: “I don’t like.”)
3. Use just the conjugated form of the negative verb:
► En. (“No.” Literally: “I don’t.”)
Ei, en pidä kahvista. (“No, I don’t like coffee.”)
B – Finnish Question Words
Finnish question words (we’re sorry to say) are not as straightforward as the English ones. One reason for this is that some of the Finnish question words are inflected and have multiple cases. For a beginner, it’s best to focus on the most common question words first. You can dive into the deep end after you’ve mastered the basics!
1. Kuka? /Ketkä? (“Who?” Singular / Plural)
Kuka on Suomen pääministeri? (“Who is Finland’s prime minister?”)
► Sanna Marin. (“Sanna Marin.”)
Ketkä ovat tulossa mukaan? (“Who is coming along?”)
► Sini ja Pekka. (“Sini and Pekka.”)
2. Mikä? / Mitä? (“What?”)
Mikä se on? (“What is it?”)
► Se on kissanpentu. (“It’s a kitten.”)
Mitä sinä sanoit? (“What did you say?”)
► Sanoin, että haluan mennä ulos. (“I said that I want to go out.”)
(Note that mikä usually refers to defined, concrete things, while mitä usually refers to uncountable, abstract things.)
3. Missä? (“Where?”)
Missä sinä asut? (“Where do you live?”)
► Asun Oulussa. (“I live in Kallio.”)
4. Miksi? (“Why?”)
Miksi et soittanut minulle? (“Why didn’t you call me?”)
► Koska unohdin, että lupasin soittaa. (“Because I forgot that I promised to call.”)
5. Milloin? (“When?”)
Milloin lentokone laskeutuu?(“When does the airplane land?”)
► Puolen tunnin päästä. (“In half an hour.”)
6. Kuinka? / Miten? (“How?”)
Miten voin auttaa? (“How can I help?”)
► Voit auttaa viemällä roskat ulos. (“You can help by taking the trash out.”)
Kuinka kuumaa saunassa on? (“How hot is it in the sauna?”)
► Saunassa on 80 astetta. (“It’s 80 degrees in the sauna.”)
Note that in most cases, kuinka and miten are interchangeable with no difference in meaning. So pick your favorite!
Mitä sinä sanoit? (“What did you say?”)
2. The 10 Most Common Questions in Finnish
With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to form endless closed Finnish language questions. In addition, learning the most important question words by heart will be of great help in all of your Finnish interactions. Pretty neat, huh?
Now we’ll focus on the ten most common Finnish conversational questions and answers that you’re bound to use sooner or later.
1 – What’s your name?
You’ve met a Finnish person—wonderful! Let’s get to know them. This is how you ask “What’s your name?” in Finnish, and how you can answer the same question.
Mikä sinun nimesi on?(“What’s your name?”) – Casual
Mikä teidän nimenne on?(“What’s your name?”) – Formal
To answer this Finnish question, you could simply state your name. But to give a full answer, say: Minun nimeni on… (“My name is…”). You can also drop the word minun because the possessive suffix in nimeni already communicates whose name you’re talking about.
Finns will be curious about where you’re from—and perhaps you’re curious about which city your Finnish friend comes from. This question covers both situations:
Mistä sinä olet kotoisin? (“Where are you from?”) – Casual
Mistä te olette kotoisin? (“Where are you from?”) – Formal
Note: In Finnish language questions, the pronouns are sometimes left out, as the verb already gives information about the pronoun. For example, “Where are you from?” can simply be expressed as Mistä olet kotoisin? or Mistä olette kotoisin?
You can also be more specific:
Mistä maasta (sinä) olet kotoisin? (“Which country are you from?”)
Mistä päin Suomea sinä olet kotoisin? (“Which part of Finland are you from?”)
Mistä kaupungista sinä olet kotoisin? (“Which city are you from?”)
Answers to the previous questions start with Olen kotoisin… (“I’m from…”). The place (country, region, or city) will usually be in the elative case (-sta/-stä), although the names of some towns may be in the adessive case instead (-lta/-ltä).
► Olen kotoisin Saksasta. (“I’m from Germany.”) ► Olen kotoisin Pohjois-Karjalasta. (“I’m from North Karelia.”)
► Olen kotoisin Tampereelta. (“I’m from Tampere.”)
Mistä maasta sinä olet kotoisin? (“Which country are you from?”)
Here’s another question you may find yourself asking and answering a lot when meeting new people:
Puhutko sinä suomea? (“Do you speak Finnish?”) – Casual
Puhutteko te suomea? (“Do you speak Finnish?”) – Formal
Puhutko sinä englantia? (“Do you speak English?”)
Remember those tips we covered about answering closed questions? Now’s a good time to review them! Simple answers look like this:
► Kyllä, puhun suomea. (“Yes, I speak Finnish.”)
► Ei, en puhu englantia. (“No, I don’t speak English.”)
These answers indicate how well you speak the language in question:
► Kyllä, mutta vain vähän. (“Yes, but only a little.”)
► Kyllä, jonkin verran. (“Yes, some.”)
► Kyllä, puhun suomea sujuvasti. (“Yes, I speak Finnish fluently.”)
► Kyllä, englanti on äidinkieleni. (“Yes, English is my mother tongue.”)
Look up the Finnish names of thirty-eight different languages with our free vocabulary list!
4 – How are you?
Vaihdetaan kuulumisia! (“Let’s exchange news!”)
When we ask someone how they are in Finnish, we use the verb kuulua (“to be heard”).
Mitä sinulle kuuluu? (“How are you?”) – Casual
Mitä teille kuuluu? (“How are you?”) – Formal
Mitä kuuluu? (“How are you?”)
The typical answer that suits most situations is simply composed of kiitos (“thank you”) and Minulle kuuluu hyvää (“I’m good”). With close friends and family, you can go into more detail!
► Kiitos, minulle kuuluu hyvää. (“I’m good, thank you.”)
► Kiitos ihan hyvää.Entä sinulle? (“Pretty good, thank you. What about you?”)
Here’s an alternative way to ask the question:
Miten menee? (“How’s it going?”)
► Hyvin, kiitos. (“I’m well, thank you.”)
► Ei hassummin. Entä sinulla? (“Not bad. How about you?”)
Meet the verb harrastaa.It refers to doing something you’re interested in on a regular basis, usually in your free time. All of that packed into one little word! Think of it as “enjoy something (as a hobby).” (By the way, the word for “a hobby” is harrastus.)
Mitä sinä harrastat? (“What do you enjoy as a hobby?”) – Casual
Mitä te harrastatte? (“What do you enjoy as a hobby?”) – Formal
Mitä harrastuksia sinulla on? (“What hobbies do you have?”) – Casual
Mitä harrastuksia teillä on? (“What hobbies do you have?”) – Formal
Mitä (sinä) teet vapaa-ajallasi? (“What do you do in your free time?”) – Casual
Mitä (te) teette vapaa-ajallanne? (“What do you do in your free time?”) – Formal
To answer any of the above questions, you can use the verb harrastan (“I enjoy as a hobby”) or another verb like pelaan (“I play”), followed by the activity in the partitive case. For example:
► Harrastan kansantanssia ja maalausta. (“I enjoy folk dancing and painting.”)
Imagine that you’ve just landed at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport after a long flight and want to double-check the local time. Or maybe someone just asks you what the time is! No problem. If that happens, you’ll already have learned how to ask and answer questions about time in Finnish.
Note that when talking about the time, Finns say kello (“clock”) instead of aika (“time”).
These three questions are interchangeable:
Mitä kello on? (“What time is it?”)
Kuinka paljon kello on? (“What time is it?”)
Paljonko kello on? (“What time is it?”)
You can begin with Kello on (“The time is”) or Se on (“It is”), but it’s also fine to simply state the time!
► Kello on kymmenen aamulla/illalla. (“It’s ten a.m./p.m.”)
► Kello on tasan kaksitoista. (“It’s exactly twelve o’clock.”)
► Se on puoli neljä. (“It’s half past three.” Literally: “It’s half four.”)
► Se on varttia vaille kuusi. (“It’s a quarter to six.”)
► Viisi minuuttia yli yhdeksän. (“Five minutes past nine.”)
Pay close attention to puoli (“half”) here. While in English, 3:30 is “half past three,” in Finnish it’s puoli neljä (“half four”)!
Kello on tasan 12 (kaksitoista). (“It’s exactly twelve o’clock.”)
8 – What are you doing?
Here’s how you can ask somebody what they’re doing in Finnish, and how to answer the question yourself.
Mitä sinä teet? (“What are you doing?”) – Casual
Mitä te teette? (“What are you doing?”) – Formal or plural
You could answer this with just one word, for example Juoksen (“I’m running”), but your answer will often consist of a verb and an object in the partitive case.
Can’t remember a word in Finnish? Want to learn a new expression? Here’s how you can ask your Finnish friends to teach you specific words and phrases!
Mitä tämä on suomeksi? (“What is this in Finnish?”)
Mitä on “parliament” suomeksi? (“What is ‘parliament’ in Finnish?”)
Miten sanotaan “it’s complicated” in Finnish? (“How do you say ‘it’s complicated’ in Finnish?”)
The key words to remember here are on suomeksi (“is in Finnish”). Not complicated at all!
► “Parliament” on suomeksi eduskunta. (“‘Parliament’ is ‘eduskunta’ in Finnish.”)
► “It’s complicated” on suomeksi “se on monimutkaista.” (“‘It’s complicated’ is ‘se on monimutkaista’ in Finnish.”)
10 – How much is it?
If you’re spending any amount of time in Finland, you’ll most likely need to buy (ostaa) something, so it’ll be useful to know how to ask for prices!
Confusingly, the verb we’re using this time, maksaa, means both “to cost” and “to pay”! To ask “how much,” you can use the words kuinka paljon or mitä or paljonko.
Kuinka paljon se maksaa? (“How much does it cost?”)
Anteeksi, mitä tämä maksaa? (“Excuse me, what does this cost?”)
Paljonko maksaa kuppi kahvia? (“How much does a cup of coffee cost?”)
The phrase you’ll want to memorize is Se maksaa… (“It costs…”). However, it’ll be useful to be aware of a few alternatives too:
► Se maksaa 5 (viisi) euroa. (“It costs 5€.”)
► Se tekee yhteensä 10 (kymmenen) euroa. (“It’s 10€ altogether.”)
► Hinta on 12 (kaksitoista) euroa/päivä. (“The price is 12€/day.”)
Watch this short video on FinnishPod101.com to learn more about the Finnish currency (euro) and how to talk about prices.
Kuinka paljon se maksaa? (“How much is it?”)
3. Conclusion
In this guide, we’ve covered a simple way to turn a statement into a question, the basic Finnish question words, and the ten most common questions you’ll want to memorize before your next Finnish conversation.
To practice, try writing a Finnish question and answer from this article in the comments section. We look forward to seeing how you do!
We hope you’re feeling more confident asking and answering questions and that you’re just buzzing to go out there and use your skills in real life. Keep practicing—we’ll see you back at FinnishPod101.com soon for another Finnish lesson!
Are you eager to start speaking in Finnish, but worry that you’ll need to tackle a ton of complex grammar rules first? You’ll be glad to hear that the best way to learn a language is actually to jump straight in and start speaking it as soon as possible. And learning the most common Finnish sentence patterns is a great way to start!
Our guide will walk you through the top ten sentence patterns that you’ll be using again and again in everyday conversations with Finns. We’ll be keeping things fairly basic so that you can get started fast!
Here’s a very simple Finnish language sentence structure that allows you to link two nouns. The verb we’re using is olla (“to be”).
Matti on ystäväni. (“Matti is my friend.”)
Siskoni on insinööri. (“My sister is an engineer.”)
Tämä on työpaikkani. (“This is my workplace.”)
Helsinki on Suomen pääkaupunki. (“Helsinki is Finland’s capital city.”)
Se oli hyvä idea. (“It was a good idea.”)
Notice the use of the possessive suffix -ni in the first three examples. In these examples, the possessive suffix stands for the English word “my.” You can also add the word minun (“my”) and say minun ystäväni (“my friend”), but it isn’t necessary.
For more about Finnish possessive suffixes, look at the relevant section of this Wikipedia page.To get you started on creating more sentences like those above, take a look at our collection of 100 Finnish core words. And here, you can find how to conjugate the verb olla (“to be”) for even more possibilities.
Helsinki on Suomen pääkaupunki. (“Helsinki is Finland’s capital city.”)
2. Describing Things: A is [Adjective]
We’ll stick to the verb olla (“to be”) for now, but this time, we’ll use it with an adjective.
Henri on komea. (“Henri is handsome.”)
Tämä auto on uusi. (“This car is new.”)
Huomisen tapaaminen on erittäin tärkeä. (“Tomorrow’s meeting is extremely important.”)
Sinä olet todella ystävällinen. (“You are really friendly.”)
Elokuva, jonka katsoimme eilen, oli pelottava. (“The film we watched yesterday was scary.”)
But wait, what if you want to say that A is not B? In that case, you need to inflect the negative particleei (“no”) and use the present base form of olla (“to be”):
Minä en ole kotona. (“I am not home.”)
Sinä et ole opiskelija. (“You are not a student.”)
Se ei ole totta. (“It’s not true.”)
Me emme ole lomalla. (“We are not on holiday.”)
Te ette ole nukkumassa. (“You are not sleeping.” – plural or polite singular “you”)
He eivät ole valmiita lähtemään. (“They are not ready to go.”)
Whether you’re in a restaurant or at a friend’s place, being able to say what you want in Finnish will come in handy for sure! We’ll use the verb haluta (“to want”), and will cover a direct way (expressed with the indicative mood) and a more polite way (expressed with the conditional mood) to express want:
Minä haluan… (“I want…”)
Minä haluaisin… (“I would like…”)
Here are some Finnish sentence examples:
Minä haluan hernekeittoa. (“I want pea soup.”)
Minä haluan nähdä sinut. (“I want to see you.”)
Minä haluan tulla mukaan. (“I want to come along.”)
And a few examples using the more polite haluaisin (“I would like”):
Minä haluaisin tilata. (“I would like to order.”)
Minä haluaisin ehdottaa jotakin. (“I would like to suggest something.”)
Minä haluaisin että tulet häihimme. (“I would like you to come to our wedding.”)
Tip: It’s fine to drop the word minä (“I”) in these examples, because it’s already obvious from the conjugation of the verb that you’re talking about yourself.
And of course, it can be equally important to say when you don’t want something! Simply replace haluan (“I want”) with en halua (“I don’t want”).
En halua lähteä ulos tänään. (“I don’t want to go out today.”)
Fancy trying some traditional Finnish dishes (besides pea soup)? Learn more about Finnish food in this lesson.
4. Expressing “Need”: I Need (to)… / I Have to…
Being able to say what you need is even more important than being able to express what you want! Just think of how often you end up looking for a bathroom in an unfamiliar city…
We’ll tackle “I need” and “I need to” separately. First, let’s take a look at how to use the verb tarvita (“to need”) with a noun.
Tarvitsen kahvia. (“I need coffee.”)
Tarvitsen lisää aikaa. (“I need more time.”)
Tarvitsemme parempia ideoita. (“We need better ideas.”)
Tarvitsen uuden passin. (“I need a new passport.”)
Tarvitsemme vastauksen pian. (“We need an answer soon.”)
In the first three examples, the noun is in the partitive case, and in the last two, the accusative case. (Learn more about Finnish noun cases on Wikipedia.)
Next, we’ll take a look at how to say that you need to do something. It’s a bit more complicated!
Construct a sentence like this:
The subject of the sentence in the genitive case, e.g. minun / sinun / meidän (“my” / “your” / “our”) + pitää / täytyy (“have to”) + a verb in the infinitive form.
Anteeksi, minun pitää lähteä. (“Sorry, I have to leave.”)
Minun pitää käydä vessassa. (“I have to go to the toilet.”)
Sinun täytyy tehdä jotakin. (“You have to do something.”)
Sinun täytyy harjoitella lisää jos haluat onnistua. (“You have to practice more if you want to succeed.”)
Meidän täytyy vain yrittää uudestaan. (“We just have to try again.”)
Are you eager to get talking about all the things you enjoy and are passionate about? Then this section is for you!
The verbs we’ll focus on are pitääor tykätä (“to like”) and rakastaa (“to love”).
Let’s take a look at some examples of the Finnish sentence structure using pitää (“to like”) + a noun in the elative case:
Minä pidän hänestä. (“I like him/her.”)
Minä pidän intialaisesta ruoasta. (“I like Indian food.”)
Minä pidän raittiista ilmasta. (“I like fresh air.”)
Minä pidän haastavista lautapeleistä. (“I like challenging board games.”)
Minä pidän oluesta, mutta juon mieluummin viiniä. (“I like beer, but prefer to drink wine.”)
A common way to express that you like doing something in spoken language is to use the verb tykätä (“to like”) + a verb in the infinitive form:
Minä tykkään laittaa ruokaa. (“I like to cook.”)
Minä tykkään herätä aikaisin. (“I like to wake up early.”)
Minä tykkään poimia marjoja. (“I like picking berries.”)
Minä tykkään kuunnella rock-musiikkia. (“I like to listen to rock music.”)
Minä tykkään neuloa sukkia lapsilleni. (“I like to knit socks for my children.”)
If you truly love something or want to emphasize just how much you like it, you can use the verb rakastaa (“to love”) + a noun in the partitive case or a verb in the infinitive form:
Minä rakastan sinua. (“I love you.”)
Minä rakastan perhettäni. (“I love my family.”)
Minä rakastan puhua filosofiasta samanhenkisten ihmisten kanssa. (“I love to talk about philosophy with like-minded people.”)
Dating a Finn? Then you’ll need this lesson on romantic words!
Minä rakastan perhettäni. (“I love my family.”)
6. Confirming That You Can Do Something: I Can…
A word of warning: Finns are usually very modest and aren’t fans of excessive bragging! However, there are situations in which it’s very useful to be able to state that you can do something.
All of these three verbs mean “can,” but note the slight differences in meaning:
Osata(“have the skills to”)
Pystyä (“have the ability to”)
Voida (“to be willing to”)
Let’s look at some specific examples:
Minä osaan uida. (“I can swim.”)
Minä osaan puhua suomea. (“I can speak Finnish.”)
Minä pystyn siihen! (“I can do it!”)
Minä pystyn olemaan hiljaa, jos todella yritän.(“I can be quiet if I really try.”)
Minä voin auttaa sinua. (“I can help you.”)
Minä voin tulla sinua asemalle vastaan. (“I can come and meet you at the station.”)
These sports are popular in Finland—can you play any of them?
7. Stating How You’re Feeling: I Am… / I Feel…
Letting others know how we feel can be really important sometimes! And sometimes, it’s very simple. Just look at these straightforward examples:
Minä olen onnellinen. (“I am happy.”)
Minä olen surullinen. (“I am sad.”)
However, when talking about how you’re feeling (especially physically), you’ll typically want to use the following sentence structure:
Minulla on(“I have”) + a noun in the nominative case, such as nälkä (“hunger”).
Whether you need to ask for directions or want to get to know someone better, learning how to ask questions should be a top priority for anyone learning Finnish! We’ll get you started by covering the most important question words and how to use them.
Kuka (“Who”)
Mikä / Mitä (“What”)
Milloin (“When”)
Missä (“Where”)
Miksi (“Why”)
Miten (“How”)
Note that question words can be singular or plural, and used in different cases—we’ll keep things simple and focus on the most basic ones here. FinnishPod101.com has more relevant lessons on how to use question words that you can check out, though. Why not start with the word “what”?
Here are the question words we mentioned in action:
Kuka on Suomen presidentti? (“Who is Finland’s president?”)
Mikä on hyvä lahja 5-vuotiaalle? (“What is a good gift for a 5-year-old?”)
Mitä tämä tarkoittaa? (“What does this mean?”)
Milloin pääset töistä? (“When do you get off work?”)
Missä haluaisit tavata? (“Where would you like to meet?”)
Miksi et tullut juhliimme? (“Why didn’t you come to our party?”)
Miten pääsen täältä keskustaan? (“How do I get from here to the city center?”)
To figure out whether to use mikä or mitä (“what”), follow this rule of thumb: Use mikä when the subject is concrete, defined, or countable. Use mitä when the subject is abstract, undefined, or uncountable.Get even more confident in your question-asking skills by learning the top fifteen questions in Finnish with FinnishPod101.com.
Miten pääsen täältä keskustaan? (“How do I get from here to the city center?”)
9. Asking for Permission: Can I…? / Could I…?
Finns appreciate good manners, and knowing how to ask for something politely will always help you make a good first impression.
The verbs we’re going to use are saada and voida.
Saanko…? (“Can I…?”)
Saisinko…? (“Could I…?”)
Voinko…?(“Can I…?”)
Voisinko…? (“Could I…?”)
Here are a few examples. (Using the equivalent of “could I” is more polite.)
Saanko ehdottaa jotakin? (“Can I suggest something?”)
Saisinko ruokalistan? (“Could I have the menu?”)
Voinko tulla sisään? (“Can I come in?”)
Voisinko puhua kanssasi? (“Could I talk with you?”)
Learn more about manners and the power of “thank you” in Finland on our blog.
10. Turning a Statement into a Question: Do You…?
Here’s a neat trick that you can use to turn a statement sentence in Finnish into a question. First, take a simple sentence like the ones we looked at earlier in this article:
Hän on suomalainen.(“He/she is Finnish.”)
Now, switch the verb and the noun around and add -ko or -kö to the verb (use -kö if the verb also contains ä or ö; otherwise, stick to -ko), and your question looks like this:
Onko hän suomalainen? (“Is he/she Finnish?”)
Here are a few more examples:
Sinä syöt lihaa. (“You eat meat.”) > Syötkö sinä lihaa? (“Do you eat meat?”)
Sinä pidät koirista. (“You like dogs.”) > Pidätkö sinä koirista? (“Do you like dogs?”)
Hän lukee sanomalehtiä. (“He/she reads newspapers.”) > Lukeeko hän sanomalehtiä? (“Does he/she read newspapers?”)
Elina osti leipää. (“Elina bought bread.”) > Ostiko Elina leipää? (“Did Elina buy bread?”)
Who knew Finnish sentence patterns could be this easy? Why not try your hand at forming more questions like the ones above? Look up more common Finnish verbs in FinnishPod101’s guide to the fifty most common Finnish verbs.
11. Final Thoughts
You’ve now learned the ten most useful Finnish sentence patterns, and are hopefully feeling excited about going out there and using them in real life!
Keep practicing those skills, and do visit FinnishPod101.com anytime to further increase your vocabulary, learn correct pronunciation, and brush up on your grammar!
If you have any questions about this lesson, or if we didn’t cover a sentence pattern you want to know, don’t hesitate to reach out in the comments. We’ll do our best to help!
What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time?
Understanding time in Finnish is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious – going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side – like a force that has a life of its own.
In science, time is often referred to as a fourth dimension and many physicists and philosophers think that if we understood the physics of the universe, we would see that time is an illusion. We sense an ‘arrow’ or direction of time because we have memories, but really time is just a construct that humans have created to help make sense of the world.
On the other hand, poets through the ages have written impassioned thoughts about time, depicting it as both a relentless thief and an immensely precious resource, not to be wasted at any cost.
Well, poets and scientists may have their views, but in our everyday lives there’s the question of practicality, isn’t there? I mean, if you have plans and want things to happen your way, there’s a certain amount of conforming to the human rules of time that you can’t avoid.
In ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the prince has a rose that he falls in love with, and he tenderly protects it with a windscreen and places it under a glass dome on his tiny planet. I love this quote from the book: “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” If we truly love something, we spend time with it and not a second of that time could ever be seen as wasted. I feel that way about horses, my children, travel and learning languages.
With that in mind, I’d like to take you on a journey into ‘time’ from a Finnish perspective. It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s a basic necessity if you’re learning the language – especially if you plan to travel. FinnishPod101 has all the vocab you need to fall in love with telling time in Finnish, and not a minute will be wasted.
As a traveler, your primary need for knowing how to read the hour in Finnish will be for transportation schedules: the bus, train, airplane, ferry, taxi… whatever you plan to use to get from A to B, it won’t wait for you! Fortunately, it’s really not complicated. You already have a firm grasp of time in English and you know you’ll need to reset your watch and phone to the local time. Great – that means you’ll have the correct time on your person.
We’re so used to just looking at our phones for the time, that it’s easy to take this convenience for granted and forget some travel basics: in a foreign country, times won’t always be written digitally. If you see the time written in words, it’ll be the same challenge to you as hearing it spoken: you’ll need to be familiar with the language.
You may be surprised at how often ‘time’ comes into conversation. Learning the Finnish terms for time will help you when you have to call a taxi, ask about opening and closing times of events and tourist attractions, restaurants and bars and even late-night food cafes.
My biggest annoyance when traveling is not being able to get coffee and amazingly, even at nice hotels this has happened more times than I care to think about. I’ll be up late planning something, writing my blog or chatting and when I go looking for coffee downstairs, I’m told the kitchen is closed or the ‘coffee lady’ has gone to sleep. Frustrating!
If you’re doing a homestay or at a youth hostel or backpackers, there will probably also be a limited timeframe for when you can grab dinner. Do you know how to ask when it’s time to eat in Finnish? I’ve learned that it’s vital to know how to make my queries clearly understood to accommodation staff and for me to clearly understand their answers. Perfect your ‘time in Finnish’ translations early on – you’ll thank me.
Morning is the time when we wake up from our dreamworld, hopefully fully rested and restored; we brew the first delicious cup of coffee for the day and watch the sunrise as we prepare for another glorious twelve hours of life. No matter what happened the day before, a new morning is a chance to make everything right.
I like these quiet hours for language practice, as my mind is clear and receptive to learning new things. I start by writing the Finnish time, date and word of the day on my whiteboard, then get back under the covers for an engrossing lesson.
Time in the morning is written as AM or A.M., which stands for ante meridiem – meaning ‘before midday’ in Latin.
2- Evening – ilta
Evening is the part of night when we’re still awake and doing things, winding down from the day. Whether you enjoy a tasty international dinner with friends, go out to see a show, or curl up on the couch with a Finnish snack and your favorite TV series, evening is a good time to forget your worries and do something that relaxes you. If you’re checking in with your Facebook friends, say hi to us, too!
Evening is also an ideal time to catch up on your Finnish studies. The neighbourhood outside is likely to be quieter and time is yours, so grab a glass of wine or a delicious local tea, and see what’s new on your Mac App or Kindle.
3- Daytime – päiväsaika
Daytime is defined as the period from early morning to early evening when the sun is visible outside. In other words: from sunrise to sunset. Where you are in the world, as well as the season, will determine how many daylight hours you get.
Interestingly, in locations north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, in summertime the sun does not sink below the horizon within a 24-hour period, bringing the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun. You could only experience this in the north, though, because there aren’t any permanent human settlements south of the Antarctic Circle.
4- Nighttime – yö
Nighttime is all the hours from sunset to sunrise and depending on where in the country you are, people may be partying all night, or asleep from full-dark.
In the same northernmost and southernmost regions where you can experience a midnight sun, winter brings the opposite phenomenon: the polar night. Can you imagine a night that lasts for more than 24 hours?
5- Hour – tunti
An hour is a unit of time made up of 60 minutes and is a variable measure of one-24th of a day – also defined by geeks as 3 600 atomic seconds. Of all the ‘time’ words we use on a daily basis, the hour is the most important, as time of day is typically expressed in terms of hours.
One of the interesting methods of keeping time that people have come up with is the hourglass. Although the origins are unclear, there’s evidence pointing to the hourglass being invented around 1000 – 1100 AD and one of the ways we know this, is from hourglasses being depicted in very old murals. These days, with clocks and watches in every direction we look, they’re really only used symbolically to represent the passage of time. Still – a powerful reminder of our mortality and to seize the day. In his private journal, the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”
6- Minute – minuutti
Use this word when you want to say a more precise time and express minutes in Finnish. A minute is a unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds. A lot can happen in the next 60 seconds. For example, your blood will circulate three times through your entire vascular system and your heart will pump about 2.273 litres of blood.
7- O’clock – kello
We use “o’clock” when there are no minutes and we’re saying the exact hour, as in “It’s two o’clock.”
The term “o’clock” is a contraction of the term “of the clock”. It comes from 15th-century references to medieval mechanical clocks. At the time, sundials were also common timekeepers. Therefore, to make clear one was referencing a clock’s time, they would say something like, “It is six of the clock” – now shortened to “six o’clock”.
We only use this term when talking about the 12 hour clock, though, not the 24 hour clock (more on that later!) The 12-hour clock can be traced back as far as Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Both an Egyptian sundial for daytime use and an Egyptian water clock for nighttime use were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Dating to c.1500 BC, these clocks divided their respective times of use into 12 hours each. The Romans also used a 12-hour clock. Daylight was divided into 12 equal hours and the night was divided into four watches.
These days, the internet has made it very easy to know what the time is in any part of the world. Speaking of which, why not add the Finnish time zone clock to your laptop?
8- Half past – puoli
When the time is thirty minutes past the hour, in English we say “half past”. Just like the hour, the half-hour is universally used as an orientation point; some languages speak of 30 minutes before the hour (subtraction), whereas others speak of 30 minutes after the hour (addition).
9- AM – aamulla
As mentioned earlier, AM is the abbreviation of the Latin ante meridiem and means before midday. Using ‘AM’ as a tag on your time simply tells people you’re speaking about a time in the morning. In some countries, morning is abbreviated to “AM” and you’ll see this on shop signs everywhere, announcing the opening hour. A typical shop sign might read something like this:
“Business hours are from 7AM to 6PM.”
10- PM – iltapäivällä
PM is the abbreviation of the Latin post meridiem and means after midday. Along with ‘AM’, you’ll usually find ‘PM’ on store signs and businesses, indicating the closing hours. It’s advisable to learn the difference between the two, since some establishments mightonly have one or the other on the sign. For example, a night club sign might say:
“Open from 10 PM until late.”
11- What time is it now? – Paljonko kello on nyt?
Here’s a very handy question you should memorize, as you can use it in any situation where you don’t have your watch or phone on you. This could be on the beach, in a club, or if you’re stuck anywhere with a flat phone battery. It happens at home, so it can happen when you’re traveling!
12- One o’clock – kello yksi
One o’clock, or 1 PM, is the average lunch time for many people around the world – at least, we try to get a meal in at some point between midday and 2 PM. In terms of duration, the nations vary: Brazililans reportedly take the longest lunch breaks, averaging 48 minutes, whereas Greece reports an average break of only 19 minutes. Historically, Greeks were known for their very leisurely lunch breaks, so it just goes to show how fast the world is changing. If you’re curious about what to expect in Finland, try asking our online community about lunch time in Finnish.
13- Two o’clock – kello kaksi
In his last days, Napoleon Bonaparte famously spoke of “Two o’clock in the morning courage” – meaning unprepared, spontaneous courage. He was talking about soldiers who are brave enough to tumble out of bed in an instant, straight into action, without time to think or strategize. Do you think you have what it takes? I’m pretty sure all mothers know this feeling!
14- Three o’clock – kello kolme
3 AM can be perceived as the coldest time of day and is not an hour we want to wake up, but meteorologists will tell you that the coldest time is actually half an hour after sunrise. Even though the sun is peeking over the horizon, the solar radiation is still weaker than the earth’s infrared cooling to space.
15- Four o’clock – kello neljä
Do you know anyone who purposely gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning? As crazy as it sounds, there is something to be said for rising at 4 AM while the rest of the world sleeps. If you live on a farm, it might even be normal for you. I know that whenever I’m staying in the countryside, rising early is a lot easier, because there’s a satisfying reason to do so: watching a sunrise from a rooftop, with uninterrupted views, can’t be beat! It’s also likely that you’ll be woken by a cock crowing, or other animals waking to graze in the fresh pre-dawn air.
In the world of business, you’ll find a small group of ambitious individuals – many entrepreneurs – who swear by the 4 o’clock in the morning rise. I’m not sure I like that idea, but I’d wake up at 4 AM if it was summer and I had my car packed for a vacation!
16- Five o’clock – kello viisi
What better way to signal the transition between work and play than the clock hands striking 5 o’clock? It’s the hour most working people look forward to each day – at least, those who get to stop working at 5 PM. Meanwhile, millions of retired folks are taking out the wine glasses, as 5 PM is widely accepted as an appropriate time to pour the first glass. I don’t know how traditional your families are, but for as long as I’ve been alive, my grandparents have counted down the milliseconds to five o’clock, and the hour is announced with glee.
17- Six o’clock – kello kuusi
This is the time many working people and school kids wake up in the morning. In many parts of the world, 6 o’clock is also a good time to watch the sunrise, go for a run or hit the hiking trails.
18- Seven o’clock – kello seitsemän
Health gurus will tell you that 7 o’clock in the morning is the best time to eat your first meal of the day, and 7 o’clock in the evening is the time you should eat your last meal. I’ve tried that and I agree, but it’s not always easy!
19- Eight o’clock – kello kahdeksan
8 o’clock in the morning is the time that most businesses open around the world, and the time most kids are in their first lesson at school – still full of energy and willing to participate. Interestingly, it’s also the time most babies are born in the world! In the evening, 8 o’clock is many young children’s bedtime and the time for parents to watch the evening news.
20- Nine o’clock – kello yhdeksän
It’s good to occasionally sleep late on a weekend and for me, this means waking up at 9 AM. If you’re traveling in Finland and staying at a hotel, planning to sleep late means politely requesting to not be woken up by room service.
21- Ten o’clock – kello kymmenen
10 o’clock in the morning is a popular time to conduct business meetings, and for first break time at schools. We’re usually wide awake and well into our day by then. But what about the same hour at night? Modern people are often still awake and watching TV at 10 PM, but this isn’t exactly good for us. Experts say that the deepest and most regenerative sleep occurs between 10 PM and 2 AM, so we should already be sound asleep by ten o’clock.
In advertising, have you ever noticed that the hands of the clock usually point to 10:10? Have a look next time you see a watch on a billboard or magazine. The reason? Aesthetics. Somehow, the human brain finds the symmetry pleasing. When the clock hands are at ten and two, they create a ‘smiley’ face and don’t cover any key details, like a logo, on the clock face.
22- Eleven o’clock – kello yksitoista
When I see this time written in words, it makes me think of the hilarious Academy Award-winning very short film, “The Eleven O’Clock”, in which the delusional patient of a psychiatrist believes that he is actually the doctor.
Then there’s the tradition of ‘elevenses’ – tea time at eleven o’clock in the morning. Strongly ingrained in British culture, elevenses is typically a serving of hot tea or coffee with scones or pastries on the side. It’s a great way to stave off hunger pangs before lunch time arrives. In fact, if you were a hobbit, ‘Elevenses’ would be your third meal of the day!
23- Twelve o’clock – kello kaksitoista
Twelve o’clock in the daytime is considered midday, when the sun is at its zenith and the temperature reaches its highest for that day; it’s written as 12 noon or 12 PM. In most parts of the world, though, this doesn’t happen at precisely 12 PM. ‘Solar noon’ is the time when the sun is actually at its highest point in the sky. The local or clock time of solar noon depends on the longitude and date. If it’s summertime, it’s advisable to stay in the shade during this hour – or at least wear good quality sunblock.
Midnight is the other ‘twelve o’clock’, of course. Midnight is written as 12 AM and is technically the first minute of the morning. On the 24-hour clock, midnight is written as 00:00.
2. How to Tell the Time in Finnish
Using a clock to read the time in Finland is going to be the same as in your own country, since you’re dealing with numbers and not words. You’ll know the time in your head and be able to say it in English, but will you be able to say it out loud in Finnish?
The first step to saying the time in Finnish is knowing your numbers. How are you doing with that? If you can count to twelve in Finnish, you’re halfway there! We’ve already covered the phrases you’ll need to say the exact hour, as in “five o’clock”, as well as how to say “half past”. What remains is the more specific phrases to describe what the minute hand is doing.
In everyday speech, it’s common to say the minutes past or before the hour. Often we round the minutes off to the nearest five.
Then, there’s the 24-hour clock. Also known as ‘military time’, the 24-hour clock is used in most countries and, as such, is useful to understand. You’ll find that even in places where the 12-hour clock is standard, certain people will speak in military time or use a combination of the two. No doubt you’ve also noticed that in written time, the 24-hour clock is commonly used. One of the most prominent places you’ll have seen this is on airport flight schedules.
Knowing how to tell military time in Finnish is really not complicated if you know your numbers up to twenty-four. One advantage of using the 24-hour clock in Finnish, is there’s no chance of confusing AM and PM.
Once you know how to say the time, it will be pretty easy to also write the time in Finnish. You’re already learning what the different hours and minutes look and sound like, so give yourself some writing practice of the same.
3. Conclusion
Now that you understand the vocabulary for telling time in Finnish, the best thing you can do to really lock it down is to just practice saying Finnish time daily. Start by replacing English with Finnish whenever you need to say the time; in fact, do this whenever you look at your watch. Say the time to yourself in Finnish and it will become a habit. When learning a new language, the phrases you use habitually are the ones your brain will acquire. It feels amazing when that turning point comes!
To help yourself gain confidence, why don’t you make use of our various apps, downloadable for iPhone and iPad, as well as Android? Choose what works best for you. In addition, we have so many free resources available to supplement your learning, that you simply can’t go wrong. Some of these are:
If you prefer watching your lessons on video, check out our YouTube channel – there are hundreds of videos to browse. For those of you with Roku, we also have a TV channel you can watch.
Well, it’s time for me to say goodbye and for you to practice saying the time in Finnish. Look at the nearest clock and try to say the exact time, down to the seconds. See you again soon at FinnishPod101!
Do you know your left from your right in Finnish? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me – I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I’ve ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills.
This never needs to happen! When traveling in Finland, you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Finnish magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases and then tailoring them with the right directional words for each situation. Do you need to be pointed south in Finnish? Just ask! Believe me, people are more willing to help than you might think. It’s when you ask in English that locals might feel too uncertain to answer you. After all, they don’t want to get you lost. For this reason, it also makes sense that you learn how to understand people’s responses.
Asking directions in Finland is inevitable. So, learn to love it! Our job here at FinnishPod101 is to give you the confidence you need to fully immerse and be the intrepid adventurer you are.
1. Talking about position and direction in Finnish
Have you ever tried saying the compass directions of north, south, east and west in Finnish? These words are good to know, being the most natural and ancient method of finding direction. In the days before GPS – before the invention of the compass, even – knowing the cardinal directions was critical to finding the way. Certainly, if you were lost somewhere in the mountain regions now and using a map to navigate, you’d find them useful. Even more so if you and a Finnish friend were adrift at sea, following the stars!
In most situations, though, we rely on body relative directions – your basic up, down, left and right, forward and backwards. Most cultures use relative directions for reference and Finnish is no exception. Interestingly, in a few old languages there are no words for left and right and people still rely on cardinal directions every day. Can you imagine having such a compass brain?
Well, scientists say that all mammals have an innate sense of direction, so getting good at finding your way is just a matter of practice. It’s pretty cool to think that we were born already pre-wired to grasp directions; the descriptive words we invented are mere labels to communicate these directions to others! Thus, the need to learn some Finnish positional vocabulary. So, without further ado… let’s dive in.
1- Top – huippu
If planting a flag at the top of the highest mountain in Finland is a goal you’d rather leave for adrenaline junkies, how about making it to the top of the highest building? Your view of the city will be one you’ll never forget, and you can take a selfie for Twitter with your head in the clouds.
2- Bottom – pohja
The ‘bottom’ can refer to the lower end of a road, the foot of a mountain, or the ground floor of a building. It’s the place you head for after you’ve been to the top!
What are your favorite ‘bottoms’? I love the first rung of a ladder, the base of a huge tree or the bottom of a jungle-covered hill. What can I say? I’m a climber. Divers like the bottom of the ocean and foxes like the bottom of a hole. Since you’re learning Finnish, hopefully you’ll travel from the top to the bottom of Finland.
3- Up – ylös
This is a very common and useful word to know when seeking directions. You can go up the street, up an elevator, up a cableway, up a mountain… even up into the sky in a hot air balloon. It all depends on how far up you like to be!
4- Down – alas
What goes up, must surely come down. This is true of airplanes, flaming arrows and grasshoppers – either aeronautics or gravity will take care of that. In the case of traveling humans who don’t wish to go down at terminal velocity, it’s useful to know phrases such as, “Excuse me, where is the path leading back down this mountain?”
5- Middle – keskikohta
In Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s characters live in Middle-earth, which is just an ancient word for the inhabited world of men; it referred to the physical world, as opposed to the unseen worlds above and below it. The ancients also thought of the human world as vaguely in the middle of the encircling seas.
When we talk about the ‘middle’, we’re referring to a point that’s roughly between two horizontal lines – like the middle of the road or the middle of a river. While you’re unlikely to ask for directions to the ‘middle’ of anything, you might hear it as a response. For example, “You’re looking for the castle ruins? But they’re in the middle of the forest!”
6- Center – keskusta
Although similar in meaning to ‘middle’, this word is more specific. Technically, it means the exact central point of a circular area, equally distant from every point on the circumference. When asking for directions to the center of town, though, we don’t mean to find a mathematically-accurate pinpoint!
7- Front – etuosa
The front is the place or position that is seen first; it’s the most forward part of something. In the case of a hotel, the front is going to be easy to recognize, so if you call a taxi and are told to wait “in front of the hotel”, you won’t have a problem. It’s pretty cool how just knowing the main Finnish directional words can help you locate something if there’s a good landmark nearby.
8- Back – takapuoli
I once rented a house in a charming little street that was tucked away at the back of a popular mall. It was so easy to find, but my boss took three hours to locate it from 300 meters away. Why? Well, because she spoke no English and I had no clue what the word for ‘back’ was. All she heard, no matter which way I said it, was “mall, mall, mall”. As a result, she hunted in front of and next to the mall until she was frazzled.
Knowing how to describe the location of your own residence is probably the first Finnish ‘directions’ you should practice. This skill will certainly come in handy if you’re lost and looking for your way home.
9- Side – puoli
If the place you’re looking for is at the ‘side’ of something, it will be located to the left or the right of that landmark. That could mean you’re looking for an alleyway beside a building, or a second entrance (as opposed to the main entrance).
As an example, you might be told that your tour bus will be waiting at the right side of the building, not in front. Of course, then you’ll also need to understand “It’s on the right” in Finnish.
10- East – itä
If you’re facing north, then east is the direction of your right hand. It’s the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the sun appears to rise. If you want to go east using a compass for navigation, you should set a bearing of 90°.
We think of Asia as the ‘East’. Geographically, this part of the world lies in the eastern hemisphere, but there’s so much more that we’ve come to associate with this word. The East signifies ancient knowledge and is symbolic of enlightenment in many cultures.
11- West – länsi
West is the opposite to east and it’s the direction in which the sun sets. To go west using a compass, you’ll set a bearing of 270 degrees.
If you were on the planet Venus, which rotates in the opposite direction from the Earth (retrograde rotation), the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east… not that you’d be able to see the sun through Venus’s opaque clouds.
Culturally, the West refers mainly to the Americas and Europe, but also to Australia and New Zealand, which are geographically in the East. The Western way of thinking is very different to that of the East. One of the most striking differences is individualism versus collectivism. In the West, we grew up with philosophies of freedom and independence, whereas in the East concepts of unity are more important.
Food for thought: as a traveler who’s invested in learning the languages and cultures of places you visit, you have an opportunity to become a wonderfully balanced thinker – something the world needs more of.
12- North – pohjoinen
North is the top point of a map and when navigating, you’d set a compass bearing of 360 degrees if you want to go that way. Globes of the earth have the north pole at the top, and we use north as the direction by which we define all other directions.
If you look into the night sky, the North Star (Polaris) marks the way due north. It’s an amazing star, in that it holds nearly still in our sky while the entire northern sky moves around it. That’s because it’s located nearly at the north celestial pole – the point around which the entire northern sky turns. Definitely a boon for lost travelers!
13- South – etelä
South is the opposite of north, and it’s perpendicular to the east and west. You can find it with a compass if you set your bearings to 180 degrees.
The south celestial pole is the point around which the entire southern sky appears to turn. In the night sky of the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross is a very easy to find constellation with four points in the shape of a diamond. If you come from the southern hemisphere, chances are your dad or mum pointed it out to you when you were a kid. You can use the Southern Cross to find south if traveling by night, so it’s well worth figuring it out!
14- Outside – ulkona
This word refers to any place that is not under a roof. Perhaps you’ve heard talk about some amazing local bands that will be playing in a nearby town on the weekend. If it’s all happening outside, you’ll be looking for a venue in a park, a stadium or some other big open space. Come rain or shine, outside definitely works for me!
15- Inside – sisällä
I can tolerate being inside if all the windows are open, or if I’m watching the latest Homeland episode. How about you? I suppose going shopping for Finnish-style accessories would be pretty fun, too, and that will (mostly) be an inside affair.
16- Opposite – vastakkainen
This is a great word to use as a reference point for locating a place. It’s right opposite that other place! In other words, if you stand with your back to the given landmark, your destination will be right in front of you.
17- Adjacent – läheinen
So, the adorable old man from next door, who looks about ninety-nine, explains in Finnish that the food market where he works is adjacent to the community hall on the main road. ‘Adjacent’ just means next to or adjoining something else, so… head for the hall!
While you’re marveling at the wondrous and colorful displays of Finnish food, think about how all of these delicious stalls lie adjacent to one another. Having a happy visual association with a new word is a proven way to remember it!
18- Toward – kohti
To go toward something is to go in its direction and get closer to it. This word can often appear in a sentence with ‘straight ahead’, as in:
“Go straight ahead, toward the park.”
If you’ve come to Finland to teach English, you might have to ask someone how to find your new school. Depending on what town you’re in, you could simply head toward the residential area at lunch time. You’ll see (and probably hear) the primary school soon enough – it will be the big fenced building with all the kids running around the yard!
19- Facing – vastatusten
If you look at yourself in a mirror, you’ll be facing your reflection. In other words: you and your reflection look directly at each other. Many plush hotels are ocean-facing or river-facing, meaning the main entrance is pointed directly at the water, and the beach out front faces the hotel.
20- Beside – vieressä
I know of a special little place where there’s a gym right beside a river. You can watch the sun go down over the water while working out – it’s amazing. What’s more, you can park your scooter beside the building and it will still be there when you come out.
21- Corner – kulma
I love a corner when it comes to directions. A street corner is where two roads meet at an angle – often 90 degrees – making it easier to find than a location on a straight plane.
“Which building is the piano teacher in, sir?”
“Oh, that’s easy – it’s the one on the corner.”
The key to a corner is that it leads in two directions. It could form a crossroads, a huge intersection, or it could be the start of a tiny one-way cobblestone street with hidden treasures waiting in the shadow of the buildings.
22- Distant – kaukainen
When a location is distant, it’s in an outlying area. This Finnish word refers to the remoteness of the site, not to how long it takes to get there. For that reason, it’s a very good idea to write the directions down, rather than try to memorize them in Finnish. Even better, get a Finnish person to write them down for you. This may seem obvious, but always include the location of your starting point! Any directions you’re given will be relative to the exact place you’re starting from.
23- Far – kaukana
This word has a similar meaning to the previous one, but it speaks more about the fact that it will take some time to get there. If you’re told that your destination is “far”, you’ll no doubt want to go by public transport if you don’t have your own vehicle. Get your hands on a road map and have the directions explained to you using this map. Don’t hesitate to bring out the highlighters.
24- Close – lähellä
This word is always a good one to hear when you have your heart set on a very relaxing day in the sun. It means there’s only a short distance to travel, so you can get there in a heartbeat and let the tanning commence. Remember to grab your Nook Book – learning is enhanced when you’re feeling happy and unencumbered. Being close to ‘home’ also means you can safely steal maximum lazy hours and leave the short return trip for sunset!
25- By – mennessä
This word identifies the position of a physical object beside another object or a place. A Bed and Breakfast can be ‘by the sea’ if it’s in close proximity to the sea.
‘By’ can also be used to describe the best mode of transport for your route, as in:
“You can get there by bus.”
26- Surrounding – ympäröivä
If something is surrounding you, it is on every side and you are enclosed by it – kind of like being in a boat. Of course, we’re not talking about deep water here, unless you’re planning on going fishing. Directions that include this word are more likely to refer to the surrounding countryside, or any other features that are all around the place you’re looking for.
27- All sides – kaikki puolet
Another useful descriptive Finnish term to know is ‘all sides’. It simply means that from a particular point, you will be able to see the same features to the front, back and sides of you. It doesn’t necessarily imply you’ll be completely surrounded, just more-or-less so. Say, for example, you’re visiting the winelands for the day. When you get there, you’ll see vineyards on all sides of you. How stunning! Don’t neglect to sample the local wines – obviously.
28- Next to – vieressä
The person giving you directions is probably standing next to you. The place being described as ‘next to’ something is in a position immediately to one side of it. It could refer to adjoining buildings, neighbouring stores, or the one-legged beggar who sits next to the beautiful flower vendor on weekdays. ‘Next to’ is a great positional term, as everything is next to something!
“Excuse me, Ma’am. Where is the train station?”
“It’s that way – next to the tourist market.”
29- Above – yläpuolella
This is the direction you’ll be looking at if you turn your head upwards. Relative to where your body is, it’s a point higher than your head. If you’re looking for the location of a place that’s ‘above’ something, it’s likely to be on at least the first floor of a building; in other words, above another floor.
‘Above’ could also refer to something that will be visible overhead when you get to the right place. For example, the road you’re looking for might have holiday decorations strung up from pole to pole above it. In the cities, this is very likely if there’s any kind of festival going on.
30- Under – alla
Under is the opposite of above, and refers to a place that lies beneath something else. In the case of directions in Finnish, it could refer to going under a bridge – always a great landmark – or perhaps through a subway. In some parts of the world, you can even travel through a tunnel that’s under the sea!
Of course, you might just be missing your home brew and looking for an awesome coffee shop that happens to be under the very cool local gym you were also looking for. Nice find!
2. Getting directions in Finnish
The quickest and easiest way to find out how to get where you’re going is simply to ask someone. Most people on the streets of Finland won’t mind being asked at all and will actually appreciate your attempt to ask directions in Finnish. After all, most tourists are more inclined to ask in their own language and hope for the best. How pedestrian is that, though?
I know, I know – you normally prefer to find your own way without asking. Well, think of it like this: you obviously need to practice asking questions in Finnish as much as you need to practice small talk, counting, or ordering a beer. Since you can’t very well ask a complete stranger if they would please help you count to five hundred, you’ll have to stick with asking directions!
We spoke earlier about body relative directions and these tend to be the ones we use most. For example:
“Turn left.”
“Go straight.”
“Turn right.”
Remember, too, that your approach is important. Many people are wary of strangers and you don’t want to scare them off. It’s best to be friendly, direct and get to the point quickly. A simple ‘Hi, can you help me?” or “Excuse me, I’m a bit lost,” will suffice. If you have a map in your hand, even better, as your intentions will be clear.
The bottom line is that if you want to find your way around Finland with ease, it’s a good idea to master these basic phrases. With a little practice, you can also learn how to say directions in Finnish. Before you know it, you’ll be the one explaining the way!
3. Conclusion
Now that you have over thirty new directional phrases you can learn in Finnish, there’s no need to fear losing your way when you hit the streets of Finland. All you need is a polite approach and your own amazing smile, and the locals will be excited to help you. It’s a chance for them to get better at explaining things to a foreigner, too. Most will enjoy that!
I advise keeping a few things handy in your day pack: a street map, a highlighter, a small notebook and pen, and your Finnish phrasebook. It would be useful to also have the Finnish WordPower app installed on your phone – available for both iPhone and Android.
Here’s a quick challenge to get you using the new terms right away. Can you translate these directions into Finnish?
“It’s close. Go straight ahead to the top of the hill and turn left at the corner. The building is on the right, opposite a small bus stop.”
You’re doing amazingly well to have come this far! Well done on tackling the essential topic of ‘directions’ – it’s a brave challenge that will be immensely rewarding. Trust me, when you’re standing at a beautiful location that you found just by knowing what to ask in Finnish, you’re going to feel pretty darn good.
If you’re as excited as I am about taking Finnish to an even deeper level, we have so much more to offer you. Did you know that we’ve already had over 1 billion lesson downloads? I know – we’re blown away by that, too. It’s amazing to be bringing the world’s languages to people who are so hungry for learning. Let me share some of our best options for you:
If you haven’t done so already, grab your free lifetime account as a start. You’ll get audio and video lessons, plus vocabulary building tools.
My favorite freebie is the word of the day, which will arrive in your inbox every morning. Those are the words I remember best!
Start listening to Finnish music. I’m serious – it really works to make the resistant parts of the brain relax and accept the new language. Read about it here for some tips.
If you enjoy reading, we have some great iBooks for your daily commute.
If you have a Kindle and prefer to do your reading on a picnic blanket, there are over 6 hours of unique lessons in Finnish for you right there.
That’s it for today! Join FinnishPod101 to discover many more ways that we can offer you a truly fun and enriching language learning experience. Happy travels!
What would you say to lift the spirits of a special person you know? No doubt, you have dozens of kind words that come to mind in English, but do you know many compliments in Finnish?
A compliment can be described as a polite expression of praise, admiration, encouragement or congratulations. It’s sometimes used in absolute sincerity and sometimes to flatter, but either way, human beings love to receive compliments!
Giving and receiving compliments is so important in society, that you can be considered rude if you’re a person who never acknowledges anyone. We all need to hear words of affirmation to feel good about ourselves or our achievements, whether big or small. Life is full of daily challenges that can feel overwhelming sometimes – both in terms of the things we have to accomplish and the way we look at the world.
Call it vanity, but it’s a basic human need to hear kindness and appreciation from other people. In the same way, we need to be giving out some of that kindness and helping others to feel good about themselves. Remember the saying “It’s better to give than to receive”? Well, that applies to compliments in a big way. The cool thing is that when you’re generous with your words, you more than likely will invite the same back from people.
So, where did this wonderful idea originate? The word ‘compliment’ has its origins in the mid-17th century; back then it meant ‘fulfilment of the requirements of courtesy’. There was a time when it was normal to compliment others upon meeting for the first time. In some cultures, that’s still the norm. If only we could have more of that today!
If you think about how much it means to receive a genuine compliment from someone whose opinion matters to you, it’s easy to reverse that and realize they probably feel the same way. There is no way around this: it’s vital to pay compliments to each and every person who is a part of your life, and to do so regularly and with sincerity.
2. Compliments you always want to hear
The nuances in the type of personal compliments you’ve been hearing all your life are so deeply present with you by now, that you have a very specific emotional response to each of them. It will be a little different for each of us, since we’ve had different input from the people around us since childhood – especially from family and close friends – but we’re individually used to certain words and as a result, we can detect when they’re spoken with sincerity. How we perceive and receive compliments from specific people has a lot to do with how much we value them, too.
Put yourself in a foreign country and suddenly you’re having to think about the words you’re hearing, doing mental and emotional arithmetic to determine the speaker’s intent. It’s tricky business! When you’ve only been learning Finnish for a little while, you’ll get the gist, but some of the speaker’s truth might be lost on you.
Can you see where I’m going with this? When it comes to compliments in Finnish, do yourself a great favor and use them often. Learn the real meaning and impact of what you’re saying, and you’ll be able to start feeling those squishy emotional responses in no time. You’ll also be able to pay genuine compliments in Finnish that will win people over and earn you a valued place in their hearts.
A compliment in Finnish culture is as important as one in any other culture – perhaps even more so. Part of fitting into your new community means having a likeable and approachable nature, so bring on the compliments and start winning people over!
Do you know how to compliment a guy in Finnish? This is one of the best Finnish compliments you can pay a man if you want to make him feel attractive. What man doesn’t like to hear that he’s handsome? The younger generation may see it as quite an old-fashioned word, yet men of all ages respond well to “You’re handsome”.
There are many other ways to tell a guy that he’s good-looking, of course, but these particular words carry a timelessness that is only ever good. It doesn’t have any subtle meanings or flirtatious implications, so it’s pretty safe to say to a man who you have no romantic intentions with. Of course, it certainly can also be said romantically! As with most things, it’s all in the way you do it.
2- Great job! – Hienoa työtä!
When you’ve worked really hard at something, you want your efforts to be appreciated. There isn’t one of us who doesn’t feel that way. You might know you’ve done a great job, but you need to know that other people have noticed and are appreciative of your effort. Otherwise, why bother giving it your all? Part of our basic makeup as humans is the need to be pleasing to others.
How much more so in a work environment, where your performance could determine the trajectory of your career? We seek validation from our bosses mainly because this is vital information that tells us whether we’re heading for success or failure.
3- Your resume is impressive. – Ansioluettelosi on vaikuttava.
It’s pretty much a given that attending a job interview is going to be nerve-wracking and the first thing you want to be sure of is that your resume looks good to the interviewer. Hearing the above words will give you hope and help you to relax before the questions start. In other words, these are important Finnish praise words to know if you’re job-hunting. Next time you’re being interviewed by a Finnish boss, listen for these words, as they’re a positive sign.
In my experience working abroad, I found that the most important requirement interviewers had was just that they like me. By the time you get to the interview, you’ve already been screened, so what’s next in the deciding factor? It’s simple: chemistry. The energy between two people is a huge factor in how well you’ll work together, and that magic happens in the first ten minutes. First impressions go a long way!
4- Your inside is even more beautiful than your outside. – Olet sisäisesti vielä kauniimpi, kuin ulkoisesti.
Isn’t this just a wonderful compliment to hear? It sure is, and that makes it equally wonderful to give. If you meet someone who has a heart of gold, use these words!
Most women love to be complimented on their external beauty, but being seen as attractive can feel like a burden if it’s the only thing people notice. When paying compliments in Finnish to a woman, try to think of her personality and what her perception of your words will be. Women want different things from different people, and someone who cares about you will care a lot about how you see her on the inside. Looks are fleeting; the people we trust to stick around forever are those who’ve seen beneath the surface and still want in.
It seems to be true that the more self-aware and ‘conscious’ a person is, the more they’re going to appreciate being valued for their place and importance in this world, above their looks. Men or women – we’re the same in this way. It doesn’t mean you should stop telling people that they’re physically beautiful, just that you should balance it with thoughtful observations about the person’s character. Psychologically, we crave this balance and without it, insecurity gets a foot in the door.
Men are no different. Compliments directed to a man’s inner core are highly prized by guys. For his self-esteem, he needs to know he is valued for who he is deep down.
5- You make me want to be a better person. – Saat minut haluamaan olla parempi ihminen.
Do you know someone who inspires you so much, that their mere existence makes you want to move those metaphorical mountains and become the absolute best version of yourself?
This phrase is a lovely thing to say to someone who you care about on a personal level. It’s the kind of compliment reserved for the few special individuals who mean so much to us, that our greatest desire is to have them see us ‘becoming’ – not for anyone’s profit, but just for the sake of love and personal growth.
You might feel this way about a romantic partner, a very close friend or a family member. If you feel this way, don’t hold it in! That person needs to hear it. You will make them feel good and help them to know that the love they put into nurturing your heart is noticed. Chances are, they feel the same way about you.
When you look for the good in others, you start to see the good in yourself. It takes a bit of thought to come up with a string of kind words that convey maximum positive truth about the other person; in those moments, you’re being unselfish and considering their needs before your own. I genuinely believe that paying someone a heartfelt compliment is an act of self-love. After all, giving is more important than receiving. When you give out compliments that are true, you do the world a service and create beauty in your circle. What’s more, you invite reciprocated words of affirmation – whether from the same person, or someone else. When you give, it will inevitably come back to you.
6- That jacket looks nice on you. – Tuo takki näyttää hyvältä ylläsi.
Men secretly love to be complimented on their clothes. Yup – it makes a man feel good to hear these words, especially since a favorite jacket is something he’ll wear often in cooler weather or to work. If the fabric brings out his eyes, tell him!
Learning some practical and more specific Finnish compliments like this one is a great idea, because it shows that you’ve actually thought about what you’re saying. Noticing details about a person’s outfit and commenting on them comes across well to the hearer and sounds more sincere than “You look good.” Think about the last time someone noticed your outfit, and you’ll know just what I mean. It makes you feel more confident as you go about your day.
7- I know that it was a tough project, but your performance exceeded my expectations. – Tiedän, että se oli rankka projekti, mutta suorituksesi ylitti odotukseni.
In the work environment, it’s vital to know some Finnish praise words that encourage, uplift and express real appreciation. In this sense, compliments can be a form of leadership; a good leader helps his or her team to grow by building them up and pushing them on.
If you hear these Finnish words, you can rest assured that your boss is very pleased with your work. If you’re a teacher at a Finnish high school, this is also a great phrase to encourage learners with when they’ve worked hard on a project.
8- You’re smart! – Olet fiksu!
Smart, clever, brainy – these are all synonyms for intelligence and one of the best compliments you can give. Everybody likes being thought of as smart, so here’s a compliment that can be used in both casual and formal settings. We say this to boost the self-esteem of kids, to praise our friends when they have good ideas and to express awe of a colleague in the workplace.
Being ‘smart’ can mean you make good choices in general, that you have a particular area you excel in, or even that you have an above-average IQ.
Everybody likes the idea of having a high IQ, but it’s not as simple to determine what that even means as we once thought. When I was studying to work in Asia, there was a lot of buzz about Multiple Intelligences Theory as a more accurate determination of intelligence than traditional IQ testing. The theory was developed by Doctor Howard Gardner and the critical reception was complex, to say the least.
Gardner argues that there is a wide range of cognitive abilities, but that there are only very weak correlations among them. For example, a child who learns to multiply easily is not necessarily more intelligent than a child who has difficulty with this task; the child who seems better at art might actually understand multiplication at a fundamentally deeper level. Humans have different learning styles; if one appears to have difficulty grasping a certain concept, the first step is to change the teaching approach.
We’re all smart in our own way, so remind your reflection of that each morning!
9- You are an awesome friend. – Olet mahtava ystävä.
On a more personal note – how good does it make you feel to hear that your friend appreciates you? I’d say it’s right up there with the best kinds of ‘thank you’. Knowing this, it makes sense to learn this phrase in Finnish and use it next time your Finnish friend has done something selfless and amazing for you. Let them know with this compliment in Finnish and make their day.
The lovely thing about using these words is that they encourage even more acts of kindness and support from friends. When you put effort and energy into a friendship and aren’t afraid to share sentiments of love, such as this phrase, chances are the friendship will go the distance. If your sojourn in Finland is more than a few weeks, you’re going to need a good friend or two, so hold on to this friendly phrase!
10- You have a great sense of humor. – Sinulla on hyvä huumorintaju.
Did you know that chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, and orangutans engage in social laughter? It’s true! Laughter is an important form of social play that connects us and helps to relieve tension. It’s nice being around someone who makes us laugh or who finds us amusing.
I have a weird sense of humor that many people don’t get, but those who do seem to end up cry-laughing a lot in my presence and somehow that makes them my favorite humans. I’ve learned who I can and can’t be funny with. Have you had a similar experience?
Being able to tell someone that you like their sense of humor is important in your social circle. In fact, take these words along with you on a date. If he or she cracks you up, they will definitely appreciate hearing you say so in Finnish.
11- Your smile is beautiful. – Hymysi on kaunis.
When paying aesthetic compliments in Finnish, especially to a woman you don’t know very well, try to avoid talking about her body and say something like “Your smile is beautiful”, instead. It’s a guaranteed winner! It can be tricky complimenting women in this modern world, where ladies don’t always feel safe, but that’s no reason to stop expressing admiration altogether. Choose your words wisely and you’ll be well on your way to making their day!
Let’s not exclude men from this compliment, though – it’s an excellent choice for a guy you like and feel safe with. In fact, the beauty of this compliment is that you can say it to pretty much anyone, of any age, and it will likely be well-received. Next time you want to make a homeless person smile – this is the better word choice!
12- I love your cooking. – Rakastan ruokiasi.
If there’s one form of praise we can’t leave out, it’s how to give kudos for someone’s culinary skills. Finnish compliments for food are a must if you want to be invited back for another home-cooked dinner at the home of the local masterchef. As much as the street food is to die for, nothing beats the experience of an authentic home-cooked meal in Finland. Be sure to read up on basic dining etiquette before you go, and don’t forget to download the Finnish WordPower app to your phone so you can confidently ask the cook for tips.
13. You have good taste. – Sinulla on hyvä maku.
My sister is one of those people who’d rather be complimented on her taste than on her personality, brains or looks. Do you know someone like that? It’s usually the girl or guy in your group who’s always well-dressed and probably has a full-on feng shui vibe in their home. If you meet someone in Finland who loves their labels, only wears real leather and whose hair is always on-fleek, here’s a compliment they will appreciate.
To have good taste means knowing what is excellent and of good quality, with an eye for detecting subtle differences that make something genuine or not. People with good taste can discern what others find appealing, and tend to impress with their aesthetic choices. This friend will be the one you’ll go to when you aren’t sure what jacket to buy for your interview, or what gift to choose for your hosts.
So, is good taste about social conventions, or the genuine value of an item? Well, since it can refer to taste in music, art, design and fine wines as well as style choices, I think it’s an interesting combination of both. What do you think?
14- You look gorgeous. – Näytät upealta.
“Gorgeous” makes me think of powder blue lakes, newborn babies, wild horses and Terrence Hill in the 80’s. Synonymous with ‘stunning’, it’s a word that means something beyond beautiful and as such, it’s one of the ultimate words of admiration. The vocabulary.com dictionary suggests reserving this word for the kind of looks that take your breath away; in other words, save it for someone special – like a date you adore and definitely want to see again.
Does that mean you can only tell a captivating date that they look gorgeous? Of course not. You can say “You look gorgeous” to a friend dressed up to meet their beau, a child tolerating a bunny suit for the school play, or to anyone special who needs a confidence boost. As long as you’re being sincere, this is a wonderful phrase to express admiration.
15- You have a way with words. – Osaat asettaa sanasi oikein.
There’s always that one person in the group who’s great at articulating deep thoughts, writing intriguing social media posts or comforting others when they’re feeling low. Your companion with this skill is likely very empathetic and although the words seem to come easy for them, they might find it difficult to be vulnerable.
When your friend or lover has let their guard down and shown you that soft place, don’t be afraid to tell them that it’s good, because they need to hear it. “You have a way with words” is a meaningful phrase that lets them know they’ve made a positive impact and their words are wanted. Your kind compliment will ensure that their eloquent words keep coming.
3. Conclusion
Next time you’re traveling or working in Finland, keep an ear open for the compliments you’ve learned, as they might be aimed at you! If you’re taking time to listen to native speakers on our YouTube channels or with Audio Books, it will also help a lot with the accent. Familiarizing yourself with the sound of compliments in the Finnish culture is important for your journey and will make your overall experience more meaningful.
Being acknowledged by others helps us to feel accepted and secure, and these are two things we all want to feel when venturing into unfamiliar territory. Remember that although compliments have more impact in your own language, it’s only because you’ve spent a lifetime hearing them and have become accustomed to the fullness of their meaning. You can get there with Finnish, too – it just takes a little time.
Don’t forget the golden rule: give more than you receive! Paying compliments to the people you meet will not only give you excellent language practice, but the reward will be new friendships and positive vibes.
Here are a few more ways you can practice daily:
Chat online with the guys and gals in our learning community. Nothing beats real-time information on how people are currently speaking. It’s a good way to hear some Finnish colloquialisms.
Take time out to read. Reading is an excellent way to develop photographic memory of how the phrases look in Finnish. We have both iBooks and Kindle books to choose from.
There are also some fantastic free podcasts you can listen to on iTunes. They promise to get you speaking after the very first lesson.
One last thought I want to leave you with: don’t forget to receive a compliment with grace. You deserve to hear good words, so get used to smiling and just feeling the kindness with gratitude.
Well, time for me to go! I hope you’ve enjoyed learning these useful compliments with us at FinnishPod101 today. Now, go out and find some cool people who need to hear them!
Anger is a natural response to pain of some sort; when you’re angry, you’re angry with a cause and want someone to pay! It’s so much harder when you’re traveling, because your routines are off-kilter, there’s culture shock to deal with and the smallest problems can seem overwhelming. How do you handle someone who’s just pushed your last button?
At home, we often have a go-to person who is good at calming us down, but emotions are tricky to deal with in a foreign country. Sometimes people may treat you unfairly, but you’re completely baffled as to why. You have to remember that people in Finland think differently to how you do and it’s not impossible to inadvertently cause offense. Don’t stress about it too much, because you’ll adapt! Once you feel at home in Finland and people get to know you, it will be easy to flow with the local rhythm and handle tensions well.
This brings us to two obvious reasons why you should learn some angry phrases in Finnish: first, so you can understand when you’ve upset a Finnish person, and second, to have the vocabulary to tell a person off when they absolutely have it coming. Not only will you be far more likely to solve the problem if you know some appropriate angry Finnish phrases, but you’ll probably earn some respect, too! At FinnishPod101 we’re ready to help you articulate those feelings.
Okay, so you’ve had a very frustrating day at your new teaching job in Finland and all you want to do is chill on your bed with ice-cream and a Nook Book, but you come home to find your landlord in your apartment, apparently doing an inspection of your personal possessions. How do you handle it? Do you have an angry Finnish translation for “What the heck are you doing?”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about confronting someone in their own country, it’s to press the pause button on my reactions and think first! Is my first thought worth expressing? Sometimes, you need to think like a chess player: if I make this move, what will happen next?
It’s always better to think ‘win-win’ in Finland. A good tactic is to keep a mental note of your personal speed limit before engaging. After all, you want a positive outcome!
So, do you know how to say “I am angry” in Finnish? You will – FinnishPod101 is about to teach you how to get mad! Here are fifteen great angry phrases in Finnish.
1- It’s none of your business. – Se ei kuulu sinulle.
As a foreigner in Finland, you’ll be a topic of interest. While most folks understand boundaries, there’s always that one individual who doesn’t!
Sometimes you feel that a person is getting way too involved in your affairs, and this expression is a commonly-used one for letting them know that. If said calmly and firmly, while looking them in the eye, it should do the trick and even earn you some respect.
2- I’m upset. – Olen järkyttynyt.
I find this phrase useful for times when I need to express annoyance to someone I can’t afford to lose my temper with. A boss, for instance. As long as you say it without yelling, this can be a polite way of letting someone know that you are feeling bad and that you want those feelings validated. No matter what has happened, the result is that you are troubled and need some time to get over it. Depending on how you say it, “I’m upset” can also be a subtle invitation for the other party to address the problem.
3- You’re not listening to me. – Et kuuntele minua.
Isn’t this the most frustrating thing? You’re in a situation where you’re telling someone why you’re mad at them, but they just won’t look at the story from your point of view. Rather than resort to bad language, try to convince them to take a breather and hear you out. This expression is a great way to ask someone to stop talking and to listen to you properly.
4- Watch your mouth. – Varo suutasi.
Where have you heard this before? Let your mind go back to all the times you were cheeky and disrespectful in your youth… that’s right – it was your parents! If you’re on the receiving end, this angry phrase means that you said something you shouldn’t have. It has an authoritative, challenging tone and it implies that there could be consequences if you don’t stop.
So, when can you use it? Well, be careful with this one; it may very well get you in trouble if not used with caution. It can also be seen as very rude if used on anyone you don’t actually have authority over!
5- That’s enough. – Tuo riittää.
Depending on your tone of voice when you say this, you could be calmly telling someone to stop doing what they’re doing, or you could be sternly ordering them to stop. In Finnish, as in English, tone is key when it comes to making yourself understood. Just don’t be saying this to anyone, as it carries an authoritative tone and would be seen as rude if said to an older person.
6- Stop it. – Lopeta.
One of the more common imperatives in any language, this is a basic way to warn somebody that you don’t like what they’re doing and want them to stop. You can use it in most situations where a person is getting under your skin. Often, “Stop it” precedes some of the weightier phrases one resorts to if the offender doesn’t stop and anger escalates. For this reason, I always add a “Please” and hope for the best!
7- Cut it out. – Lopeta.
In fact, this phrase is actually the same as the previous one in Finnish! I think parents and teachers everywhere, throughout time, have heard variations of this expression of annoyance for as long as we’ve had tweens and teens on Earth! It’s a go-to command, thrown about frequently between siblings and peers, to stop being irritating. You’d generally use this on people you consider your relative equals – even though in the moment, you probably consider them low enough to stomp on!
8- What the heck are you doing? – Mitä hemmettiä sinä teet?
Here’s an interjection for those instances when you can scarcely believe what you’re seeing. It denotes incredulity ranging from mild disbelief to total disgust or dismay. You would typically use this when you want an action to stop immediately, because it’s wrong – at least, in your perception of things.
It may be worth remembering that the English word “heck” doesn’t have a direct translation in Finnish – or in other languages, for that matter; most translations are more accurately saying “What the hell.” We say “heck” in English as a euphemism, but that word is thought to come from “hex” – an ancient word for “spell” – so I don’t know which is better!
9- Who do you think you are? – Kuka luulet olevasi?
I avoid this expression as it makes me nervous! It’s quite confrontational. I’m reminded of the time a clerk in a busy cellular network service store was being rude to me and a rich-looking man came to my rescue, aiming this phrase at the clerk loudly and repeatedly. At first, I was relieved to have someone on my side, but I quickly grew embarrassed at the scene he was causing.
Using this phrase has a tendency to make you sound like you feel superior, so take it easy. The irony, of course, is that someone who provokes this response is taking a position of authority or privilege that they aren’t entitled to! Now you look like two bears having a stand-off.
They call this an ‘ad hominem’ argument, meaning the focus has shifted from attacking the problem, to attacking the person. So, is it a good phrase to use? That’s up to you. If you’re in the moment and someone’s attitude needs adjusting – go for it!
10- What?! – Mitä?!
An expression of disbelief, this is frequently said mid-argument, in a heated tone, and it means you cannot believe what you’re hearing. In other words, it conveys the message that the other person is talking nonsense or lying.
11- I don’t want to talk to you. – En halua puhua sinulle.
This is a great bit of vocab for a traveler – especially for a woman traveling solo. Whether you’re being harassed while trying to read your Kindle on the train, or hit on by a drunk man in a bar, chances are that sooner or later, you will encounter a character you don’t wish to speak to.
The most straightforward way to make the message clear is to simply tell them, “I don’t want to talk to you”. If you feel threatened, be calm and use your body language: stand straight, look them in the eye and say the words firmly. Then move away deliberately. Hopefully, they will leave you alone. I’d go so far as to say learn this phrase off-by-heart and practice your pronunciation until you can say it like a strong modern Finnish woman!
12- Are you kidding me? – Vitsailetko?
To be ‘kidding’ means to joke with someone in a childlike way and it’s used both in fun and in anger. Like some other expressions, it needs context for the mood to be clear, but it pretty much conveys annoyed disbelief. You can use it when a person says or does something unpleasantly surprising, or that seems unlikely to be serious or true. It’s a rhetorical question, of course; try to familiarize yourself with how it sounds in Finnish, so next time it’s aimed at you, you don’t hunt your inner Finnish lexicon for an answer!
13- This is so frustrating. – Tämä on niin turhauttavaa.
Another way of showing someone you have an intense battle going on inside, is to just tell them you’re terribly frustrated and feeling desperate to find a solution. Use this expression! It can be a useful tool to bring the other person into your headspace and maybe even evoke some degree of empathy from them. More polite than many others, it’s a sentence that seems to say, “I beg you to work with me so we can resolve this!”
14- Shut up. – Turpa kiinni.
The use of the phrase “shut up” to signify “hold one’s tongue” dates back to the sixteenth century and was even used by Shakespeare as an insult – with various creative twists! It’s been evolving ever since and there are variations in just about every language – proving that no matter where you come from, angry emotions are universal!
Well, when I was twelve and full of spirit, I was taught that nice girls don’t say this. “Shut up” is an imperative that’s considered impolite; it’s one of those expressions people resort to when they either can’t think of better words to use, or simply can’t bear to listen to any more nonsense. Either way, it’s at the lower end of the smart argument scale. Like all angry phrases, though, it does have its uses!
15- So what? – Entäs sitten?
When you don’t believe the other person’s defense argument legitimizes or justifies their actions, you might say these words. Basically, you’re telling them they need to come up with better logic!
Another time you could use this one, is when you simply don’t care for someone’s criticism of you. Perhaps you don’t agree with them, or they’re being unfair and you need to defend your position. “So what?” tells them you feel somewhat indignant and don’t believe you’re in the wrong.
2. Feeling negative in Finnish
What was the most recent negative emotion you felt? Were you nervous about an exam? Exhausted and homesick from lack of sleep? Maybe you felt frightened and confused about the impact COVID-19 would have on your travel plans. If you’re human, you have days when you just want the whole world to leave you alone – and that’s okay!
When you’re feeling blue, there’s only so much body language can do. Rather than keeping people guessing why you’re in a bad mood, just tell them! Your Finnish friends and colleagues will be much more likely to give you your space (or a hug) if they know what’s wrong. Not only that, but it’s nice to give new friends the opportunity to be supportive. Bring on the bonding!
The fastest way to learn to describe negative feelings in Finland, is to get into the habit of identifying your own mood daily in Finnish. Here’s an easy way: in your travel journal, simply write down the Finnish word for how you feel each morning. You can get all the words directly from us at FinnishPod101. Remember, also, that we have a huge online community if you need a friend to talk to. We’ve got you!
3. Conclusion
Now that you know how to express your bad feelings in Finnish, why not check out some other cool things on our site? You can sign up for the amazing free lifetime account – it’s a great place to start learning!
And really – make the most of your alone time. After all, it’s been proven that learning a new language not only benefits cognitive abilities like intelligence and memory, but it also slows down the brain’s aging. So, on those days when you just need to be away from people, we have some brain-boosting suggestions that will lift your spirits:
Have you heard of Roku? A Roku player is a device that lets you easily enjoy streaming, which means accessing entertainment via the internet on your TV. We have over 30 languages you can learn with Innovative Language TV. Lie back and enjoy!
If you like your Apple devices, we have over 690 iPhone and iPad apps in over 40 languages – did you know that? The Visual Dictionary Pro, for example, is super fun and makes learning vocab easy. For Android lovers, we have over 100 apps on the Android market, too.
You can also just kick back on the couch and close your eyes, letting your headphones do the work with our audiobooks – great for learning the culture while you master the language. Similarly, if you’re more of a reader, we have some fantastic iBooks that are super interesting and fun for practicing your daily conversation skills.
Whatever your learning style (or your mood), you’ll find something that appeals to you at FinnishPod101. Come join us!
What is the most defining moment you will face this year? From memories that you immortalize in a million photographs, to days you never wish to remember, one thing’s for certain: big life events change you. The great poet, Bukowski, said, “We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well, that death will tremble to take us.” The older I get, the more I agree with him!
Talking about significant events in our lives is part of every person’s journey, regardless of creed or culture. If you’re planning to stay in Finland for more than a quick visit, you’re sure to need at least a few ‘life events’ phrases that you can use. After all, many of these are shared experiences, and it’s generally expected that we will show up with good manners and warm wishes.
Do you know how to say “Happy New Year” in Finnish? Well, the New Year is a pretty big deal that the whole world is in on! We celebrate until midnight, make mindful resolutions, and fill the night sky with the same happy words in hundreds of languages. No doubt, then, that you’ll want to know how to say it like a local!
Big life events are not all about fun times, though. Real life happens even when you’re traveling, and certain terminology will be very helpful to know. From talking about your new job to wishing your neighbors “Merry Christmas” in Finnish, here at FinnishPod101, we’ve put together just the right vocabulary and phrases for you.
1- Birthday – syntymäpäivä
If you’re like me, any excuse to bring out a pen and scribble a note is a good one. When there’s a birthday, even better: hello, handwriting!
Your Finnish friend will love hearing you wish them a “Happy birthday” in Finnish, but how much more will they appreciate a thoughtful written message? Whether you write it on their Facebook wall or buy a cute card, your effort in Finnish is sure to get them smiling! Write it like this:
Hyvää syntymäpäivää
Now that you know the words, I challenge you to put them to music and sing your own “Happy birthday” song in Finnish! It’s not impossible to figure out even more lyrics, once you start discovering the language from scratch.
2- Buy – ostaa
If there’s a special occasion, you might want to buy somebody a gift. As long as you’ve checked out Finnish etiquette on gift-giving (do a Google search for this!), it will be a lovely gesture. If you’re not sure what to buy, how about the awesome and universally-appealing gift of language? That’s a gift that won’t stop giving!
3- Retire – jäädä eläkkeelle
If you’re planning to expand your mind and retire in Finland, you can use this word to tell people why you seem to be on a perpetual vacation!
Retirement is also a great time to learn a new language, don’t you think? And you don’t have to do it alone! These days it’s possible to connect to a vibrant learning community at the click of a button. The added benefit of a Daily Dose of Language is that it keeps your brain cells alive and curious about the world. After all, it’s never too late to realize those long-ignored dreams of traveling the globe…
4- Graduation – valmistuminen
When attending a graduation ceremony in Finland, be prepared for a lot of formal language! It will be a great opportunity to listen carefully and see if you can pick up differences from the everyday Finnish you hear.
5- Promotion – ylennys
Next to vacation time, receiving a promotion is the one career highlight almost everyone looks forward to. And why wouldn’t you? Sure, it means more responsibility, but it also means more money and benefits and – the part I love most – a change of scenery! Even something as simple as looking out a new office window would boost my mood.
6- Anniversary – vuosipäivä
Some anniversaries we anticipate with excitement, others with apprehension. They are days marking significant events in our lives that can be shared with just one person, or with a whole nation. Whether it’s a special day for you and a loved one, or for someone else you know, this word is crucial to know if you want to wish them a happy anniversary in Finnish.
7- Funeral – hautajaiset
We tend to be uncomfortable talking about funerals in the west, but it’s an important conversation for families to have. Around the world, there are many different customs and rituals for saying goodbye to deceased loved ones – some vastly different to our own. When traveling in Finland, if you happen to find yourself the unwitting observer of a funeral, take a quiet moment to appreciate the cultural ethos; even this can be an enriching experience for you.
8- Travel – matkustaa
Travel – my favorite thing to do! Everything about the experience is thrilling and the best cure for boredom, depression, and uncertainty about your future. You will surely be forever changed, fellow traveler! But you already know this, don’t you? Well, now that you’re on the road to total Finnish immersion, I hope you’ve downloaded our IOS apps and have your Nook Book handy to keep yourself entertained on those long bus rides.
9- Graduate – valmistua
If you have yet to graduate from university, will you be job-hunting in Finland afterward? Forward-looking companies sometimes recruit talented students who are still in their final year. Of course, you could also do your final year abroad as an international student – an amazing experience if you’d love to be intellectually challenged and make a rainbow of foreign friends!
10- Wedding – häät
One of the most-loved traditions that humans have thought up, which you’ll encounter anywhere in the world, is a wedding. With all that romance in the air and months spent on preparations, a wedding is typically a feel-good affair. Two people pledge their eternal love to each other, ladies cry, single men look around for potential partners, and everybody has a happy day of merrymaking.
Ah, but how diverse we are in our expression of love! You will find more wedding traditions around the world than you can possibly imagine. From reciting love quotes to marrying a tree, the options leave no excuse to be boring!
11- Move – muuttaa
I love Finland, but I’m a nomad and tend to move around a lot, even within one country. What are the biggest emotions you typically feel when moving house? The experts say moving is a highly stressful event, but I think that depends on the circumstances. Transitional periods in our lives are physically and mentally demanding, but changing your environment is also an exciting adventure that promises new tomorrows!
12- Be born – syntyä
I was not born in 1993, nor was I born in Asia. I was born in the same year as Aishwarya Rai, Akon, and Monica Lewinsky, and on the same continent as Freddy Mercury. When and where were you born? More importantly – can you say it in Finnish?
13- Get a job – saada työpaikka
The thought of looking for a job in a new country can be daunting, but English speakers are in great demand in Finland – you just have to do some research, make a few friends and get out there! Also, arming yourself with a few Finnish introductions that you can both say and write will give you a confidence boost. For example, can you write your name in Finnish?
14- Die – kuolla
Death is a universal experience and the final curtain on all other life events. How important is it, then, to fully live before we die? If all you have is a passport, a bucket list, and a willingness to learn some lingo, you can manifest those dreams!
15- Home – koti
If home is where the heart is, then my home is on a jungle island completely surrounded by the turquoise ocean. Right now, though, home is an isolation room with a view of half a dry palm tree and a tangle of telephone wires.
If you’re traveling to Finland for an extended stay, you’ll soon be moving into a new home quite unlike anything you’ve experienced before!
16- Job – työ
What job do you do? Does it allow you much time for travel, or for working on this fascinating language that has (so rightfully) grabbed your attention? Whatever your job, you are no doubt contributing to society in a unique way. If you’re doing what you love, you’re already on the road to your dream. If not, just remember that every single task is one more skill to add to your arsenal. With that attitude, your dream job is coming!
If you’re lucky enough to be invited to see a friend’s baby just after they are born, you’ll have all my respect and all my envy. There is nothing cuter! Depending on which part of the country you’re in, you may find yourself bearing witness to some pretty unexpected birth customs. Enjoy this privilege!
18- Engaged – mennä kihloihin
EE Cummings said, “Lovers alone wear sunlight,” and I think that’s most true at the moment she says “yes.” Getting engaged is something young girls dream of with stars in their eyes, and it truly is a magical experience – from the proposal, to wearing an engagement ring, to the big reveal!
In the world of Instagram, there’s no end to the antics as imaginative couples try more and more outrageous ways to share their engagement with the world. I love an airport flashmob, myself, but I’d rather be proposed to on a secluded beach – salt, sand, and all!
Engagement customs around the world vary greatly, and Finland is no exception when it comes to interesting traditions. Learning their unique romantic ways will inspire you for when your turn comes.
The one you marry will be the gem on a shore full of pebbles. They will be the one who truly mirrors your affection, shares your visions for the future, and wants all of you – the good, the bad and the inexplicable.
From thinking up a one-of-a-kind wedding, to having children, to growing old together, finding a twin flame to share life with is quite an accomplishment! Speaking of which…
2. Marriage Proposal Lines
Ah, that heart-stopping moment when your true love gets down on one knee to ask for your hand in marriage, breathlessly hoping that you’ll say “Yes!” If you haven’t experienced that – well, it feels pretty darn good, is all I can say! If you’re the one doing the asking, though, you’ve probably had weeks of insomnia agonizing over the perfect time, location and words to use.
How much more care should be taken if your love is from a different culture to yours? Well, by now you know her so well, that most of it should be easy to figure out. As long as you’ve considered her personal commitment to tradition, all you really need is a few words from the heart. Are you brave enough to say them in Finnish?
3. Talking About Age
Part of the wonder of learning a new language is having the ability to strike up simple conversations with strangers. Asking about age in this context feels natural, as your intention is to practice friendly phrases – just be mindful of their point of view!
When I was 22, I loved being asked my age. Nowadays, if someone asks, I say, “Well, I’ve just started my fifth cat life.” Let them ponder that for a while.
In Finland, it’s generally not desirable to ask an older woman her age for no good reason, but chatting about age with your peers is perfectly normal. Besides, you have to mention your birthday if you want to be thrown a birthday party!
4. Conclusion
Well, there you have it! With so many great new Finnish phrases to wish people with, can you think of someone who has a big event coming up? If you want to get even more creative, FinnishPod101 has much to inspire you with – come and check it out! Here’s just some of what we have on offer at FinnishPod101:
Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Finnish with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Finnish dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about FinnishPod101…!
Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
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Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Finnish word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Finnish level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!
Learning a new language can only enrich your life, and could even open doors towards great opportunities! So don’t wonder if you’ll regret enrolling in FinnishPod101. It’s the most fun, easy way to learn Finnish.
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