If you’ve spent some time learning another language, you’ll know that spoken language can be very different from the standard form. Finnish learners in particular quickly notice how many words are shortened and “streamlined” in informal Finnish.

Spoken Finnish is also often littered with small, seemingly meaningless words. These “filler words” are rarely included in any academic curriculums, but they do matter—it can be hard to follow a conversation in Finnish if you’re not familiar with them.

In this article, we’ll introduce some of the most common Finnish filler words and phrases so that you can start spotting them when listening to native speakers. We’ll also guide you on how to use them yourself to make your spoken Finnish sound more natural. And finally, we’ll discuss the cons of filler words and the situations in which it’s best to avoid them.

• Since you’re interested in Finnish filler words, we think that our lessons Top 5 Phrases Your Teacher Will Never Teach You and Why Finnish Slang Words Will Make You Fluent will be right up your alley, too.

Using filler words gives you time to think.

Table of Contents

1. Why do we use filler words?
2. The Top 10 Finnish Filler Words
3. The Pros and Cons of Filler Words
4. Lopuksi

1. Why do we use filler words?

In this section, we’ll discuss what filler words are and why they’re used in spoken language.

1 – What are filler words?

When we take part in a discussion, we rarely plan the exact sequence of words that we’re going to use before we open our mouths. Therefore, it’s natural to pause briefly from time to time as we search for the right words while speaking.

Täytesanat (“filler words”) is a term used to classify all those relatively meaningless sounds, words, and small phrases that people use to fill the pauses in their speech. In fact, they can be removed from a sentence without changing its meaning. But that’s not to say that they serve no real purpose at all—as you’ll see below.

2 – Why do we use them?

Filler words can do a lot of things! For example:

• They can give you a moment to think about what you’re going to say next, while signaling to others that you haven’t finished talking yet.
• They can be used to let others know that you want to say something while someone else is still talking—a bit like putting your hand up in a classroom!
• They can give others clues about how to interpret what you’re saying by indicating enthusiasm or uncertainty, for example.
• They can help you be more diplomatic and polite when expressing your views.

Are you eager to get better at conversing in Finnish? Then let us teach you the Top 10 Conversational Phrases, Must-Know Expressions for Agreeing and Disagreeing, and How to Use Small Talk Phrases. You’re welcome.

2. The Top 10 Finnish Filler Words

In this section, we’ll introduce ten commonly used Finnish conversation filler words. While there is good correspondence between many Finnish and English filler words, it’s not an exact science, and the meaning of a filler word can change depending on the context. We’ll give alternative English translations and demonstrate different uses in our example sentences where possible.

Note that since filler words are primarily a part of spoken Finnish, they may have quite a few variations. Don’t worry; we’ll alert you when this is the case! And speaking of spelling, since spoken Finnish can be confusing to the uninitiated (by bending grammar rules, for instance), our example sentences are in standard Finnish.

#1 Öö (“Um” / “Uh” / “Err”)

Öö (“um” / “uh” / “err”) is the sound Finns often use when they aren’t sure what they want to say or are searching for the right word. It can also be used to express confusion or disbelief. This filler can appear at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.

• Mitä syötäisiin tänään? (“What should we eat today?”)
• Syödään vaikka, öö… makaronilaatikkoa. (“How about we eat, um… macaroni casserole.”)

• Näin viime yönä kummituksen! (“I saw a ghost last night!”)
• Öö… oletko ihan varma? (“Err… are you absolutely sure?”)

Syödään vaikka, öö… makaronilaatikkoa. (“How about we eat, um…macaroni casserole.”)

#2 Tuota (“Well” / “Actually”)

Tuota has a lot of variations. For example: tuota noin, tota, tota noi, tota nii, and so on…

As a filler word, tuota doesn’t mean anything, but it usually serves the same function as the English filler words “well” and “actually.” That is, it fills a pause when you’re thinking about what to say. Note that tuota is also the partitive form of the demonstrative pronoun tuo (“that”), though a pause or hesitation will usually make it clear that tuota is being used as a filler.

• Tykkäsitkö eilisestä elokuvasta? (“Did you like yesterday’s film?”)
• Se oli, tuota, parempi kuin mitä oletin. (“It was, well, better than what I expected.”)

• Voisimmeko jutella? (“Could we talk?”)
• Tuota… minulla on aika kiire juuri nyt. (“Actually… I’m a bit busy just now.”)

#3 Niinku (“Like”)

Niinku is the colloquial form of niin kuin (“like”). You can use this ubiquitous Finnish filler when you’re thinking of what to say next or to emphasize what you’re saying.

• Se oli niinku huonoin kirja minkä olen ikinä lukenut. (“It was like the worst book I’ve ever read.”)

A word of caution: niinku appears on the MeNaiset magazine’s 2019 list of the most annoying words in the Finnish language. In fact, some people abhor the liberal use of niinku so much that there’s now a term to describe its overuse: ninkutus.

Excessive use of niinku would look something like this:Naapurin kissa käveli niinku suoraan ovesta sisään ja meni niinku nukkumaan meidän sohvalle. Nauroin niinku ainakin viisi minuuttia. (“The neighbor’s cat walked like straight in through the door and like went to sleep on our sofa. I laughed for like five minutes at least.”)

Beware, some Finns can’t stand niinku.

#4 Noni

Noni (also: no niin, nonni, nonnih, nonii, nonnii, and so on) is such a wonderful and versatile Finnish filler word that it should really have its own article. Alas, we’re only going to scratch the surface here.

The most fun thing about noni is that it can be used in almost any context. Whether you’re delighted or frustrated, proud or disappointed, you can begin with noni to set the tone of what you’re about to say.

• Noni, pitihän se arvata! (“Right, should’ve guessed!”)
• Noni, minähän sanoin sinulle! (“See, I told you!”)
• Noni, yritähän keskittyä. (“Come on, try to focus.”)
• Noni, hienosti tehty! (“Awesome, well done!”)
• Noni, aloitetaan. (“Alright, let’s get started.”)

Using this Finnish filler is an art form, and once you’ve mastered it, you’ve reached the next level of Finnish! Listening to and imitating native Finns is the best way to get the stress and vowel length just right, but to help you get started, see our handy little infographic on using noni or watch stand-up comedian Ismo Leikola explain it.

#5 Siis (“So” / “Actually” / “Wait”)

Siis is another Finnish filler word with a variety of potential uses and it could be translated as “so,” “actually,” or “what” depending on the context. It can be used when you need to repeat yourself or clarify something, to emphasize what you’re saying, or to express disbelief.

• Siis Esa lähti jo? (“So Esa left already?”)
• Meillä on siis ihan hyvä syy olla täällä. (“We actually have a pretty good reason to be here.”)

Siis mitä?! (“Wait, what?!”)

Siis mitä?! (“Wait what?!”)

#6 Kato (“Look”)

Kato is a colloquial form of katso (“look”). It’s commonly used when expressing an opinion or pointing out something the other person may not have considered. 

The particles -han and -pa are commonly attached to kato. In the examples below, -han expresses surprise while -pa softens the directness of the imperative.

• Kato, makuasioista ei voi kiistellä. (“Look, there’s no accounting for taste.”)
• Katohan, olin oikeassa sittenkin. (“Look, I was right after all.”)
• Katopa, jos haluat menestyä, sinun pitää tehdä töitä sen eteen. (“Look, if you want to succeed, you have to work for it.”)

Read more about the uses of the Finnish particles -han and -pa on Wiktionary.

#7 Kuule (“Listen” / “Listen up”)

Kuule literally means “hear,” but it’s used like the English word “listen” and is more or less interchangeable with kato (“look”). The particles -pa and -han can also be attached to kuule.

• Kuule, minua ei voisi vähempää kiinnostaa. (“Listen, I couldn’t care less.”)
• Kuulepa, nyt on aika toimia! (“Listen up, now’s the time to act.”)
• Kuulehan Sirpa, älä vertaa itseäsi muihin. (“Listen Sirpa, don’t compare yourself to others.”)

#8 Ootas ny (“Hold on”)

Ootas ny is a colloquial form of odota nyt (literally: “wait now”). You can use it when you’re trying to remember something or when you’re considering the answer to a question, for example.

• Milloin kesäloma alkaa? (“When does the summer holiday begin?”)
• Ootas ny… Oliko se 28. (kahdeskymmeneskahdeksas) päivä? (“Hold on… Was it the 28th?”)

• Missä sakset ovat? (“Where are the scissors?”)
• Ootas ny… Käytin niitä vasta vähän aikaa sitten. (“Hold on… I used them only a little while ago.”)

#9 Tiiäkkö (“You know” / “You know what”)

Tiiäkkö and tiätsä are colloquial forms of tiedätkö and tiedätkö sinä (literally: “Do you know?”). As a filler word, they can be used to emphasize a statement or to get someone’s attention.

• Sukeltaminen on tosi hauskaa, tiiäkkö! (“Diving is really fun, you know!”)
• Tiiäkkö, olen päättänyt muuttaa maalle. (“You know what, I’ve decided to move to the country.”)

Tiätsä Panu, ei kannata odottaa liian pitkään. (“You know what Panu, it’s not good to wait too long.”)

Sukeltaminen on tosi hauskaa, tiiäkkö. (“Diving is really fun, you know.”)

#10 Tai jotai (“Or something”)

Tai jotai is the colloquial form of tai jotain (“or something”). It’s usually tagged at the end of a statement to indicate a sense of vagueness. You may also hear a longer version: tai jotai sinne päi (literally “or something in that direction”).

• Lähetä minulle tekstiviesti tai jotai. (“Send me a text message or something.”)
• Ehkä Tertulla oli kiire tai jotai? (“Maybe Terttu was busy or something?”)

3. The Pros and Cons of Filler Words

Now that you’ve learned some of the most popular Finnish filler words, should you try to use them as much as you can? The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no,” so let’s take a look at some pros and cons of using filler words as well as when it’s appropriate to use the occasional filler in Finnish.

1 – Use Filler Words to Sound More Authentic and Considerate

In a relaxed setting, a native Finnish speaker is very likely to use filler words. Therefore, using Finnish filler words can help your Finnish sound significantly more natural and authentic. This, in turn, could really boost your confidence as you’re honing your conversational skills.

And that’s not all: Science suggests that using filler words and discourse markers helps you come across as a more considerate and thoughtful participant in a conversation.

• If you’re working on sounding more like a native Finnish speaker, learning these Essential Idioms will come in handy!

2 – Why You Should Not Overuse Filler Words

Now for the reasons why you shouldn’t use filler words with wild abandon in just any situation…

Remember how niinku is considered one of the most irritating words in the Finnish language? Going overboard with any filler word can rub someone you’re chatting with the wrong way.

In formal situations, the use of filler words is often thought to signal insecurity or lack of knowledge, and can distract from your message. So if you’re in a job interview or giving an important presentation, it’s best to avoid them! You could simply embrace those silent pauses instead (which may admittedly take some practice), or learn some alternative phrases that sound far better than öö (“um”) while still buying time to think. For example:

• Pieni hetki (“Just a moment”)
• Katsotaanpa… (“Let’s see…”)

 And while we’re on the topic of things to avoid, here are five Finnish language mistakes you don’t want to make.

Työhaastattelussa. (“At a job interview.”)

4. Lopuksi

In this guide, we explored the fascinating world of Finnish filler words; you learned what they are, why people use them, and which ones are most popular. However, our list of Finnish filler words is not exhaustive by any means. Which other ones do you know of? Leave a comment below and help your fellow learners!

The best way to master using Finnish filler words is to listen to native Finnish speakers as much as possible. This will improve your ability to understand the nuances in meaning. Then pick one or two of your favorites and practice using them in real life! FinnishPod101 is designed to make learning Finnish as fun and effective as possible. Our vocabulary lists and other free Finnish resources are a great place to start if you’re new to FinnishPod101. And if you’d like access to 1-on-1 coaching with a native Finnish teacher (to improve your understanding of spoken Finnish, for example), the doors to a Premium PLUS subscription are open to you!