Life & societyLanguage

Begin Finnish out loud now: 20 phrases

So you want to learn Finnish? Start here and now!

After you jump-start your Finnish skills using our phrase list, you can sit in a Helsinki café like this one and ask “Saisinko kupin kahvia?” (Could I have a cup of coffee, please?). (The café in the photo is Tamminiemen Kahvila.)

Photo: Elina Sirparanta/Visit Finland

Jump right into the Finnish language with our audio list of 20 useful phrases. Learn one each day, or see how many you can master in one sitting.

 

Finnish (listen) English
Hyvää päivää

 (literally: Good day) How do you do?/Hello
Mitä kuuluu?

 How are you?
Hei!

 Hi!
Tervetuloa

 Welcome
Hauska tavata

 Nice to meet you!
Hyvää huomenta

 Good morning
Hyvää iltaa

 Good evening
Hyvää yötä

 Good night
Kaunis ilma tänään

 Nice weather today
Anteeksi

 Excuse me/Sorry
Näkemiin

 Goodbye
Anteeksi, en puhu suomea

 Sorry, I don’t speak Finnish
Puhutteko englantia?

 Do you speak English?
Saisinko ruokalistan?

 Could I have the menu, please?
Saisinko viinilistan?

 Could I have the winelist, please?
Paljonko tämä maksaa?

 How much does this cost?
Saisinko yhden oluen?

 Could I have a beer, please?
Saisinko kupin kahvia?

 Could I have a cup of coffee, please?
Saanko laskun?

 Can I have the bill, please?
Kiitos

 Thank you

By ThisisFINLAND staff

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