🤝 How to greet and get acquainted with Finns: simple phrases, rules and cultural nuances

Finnish politeness is all about being simple, calm and respecting people's personal space. Small talk is shorter here, pauses are normal, and getting to the point quickly isn't seen as rude. Here's a handy guide to help you greet people, give a quick intro and get the conversation going without any of that awkwardness.

7 basic rules for communication "at the start"

1. Hei/Moi — always appropriate. A short greeting is appropriate in almost any situation.
2. Introductions should be brief. Name + role/connection + one detail — that's it.
3. Use names instead of titles. People quickly switch to first names and titles are rarely used.
4. The default is "you". In a business environment, sinä is also often used right away, but respectfully.
5. Small talk is light and neutral. Weather, city, travel, hobbies, coffee, sauna.
6. Pauses are normal. There is no need to fill the silence at any cost.
7. Get to the point — no long "warm-up". A couple of phrases — and you can get to the point.
   

How to greet someone: formulas for different situations

Informal communication

● Hei! / Moi! — a universal "hello" in any informal situation.

● Moikka / Heippa — a friendlier option, often used as a "bye".

● Hallo / Heisann — slightly more colloquial, often used between acquaintances.

Example:

Moi, olen Daria. Olen täällä ensimmäistä kertaa.
"Hello, I'm Daria. This is my first time here."

Slightly more formal

● Hyvää huomenta / päivää / iltaa — "Good morning/afternoon/evening."

● Appropriate for first business contacts, at a hotel, at reception, at the doctor's.

Example:

Hyvää päivää, olen Ivan Petrov, varasin huoneen tälle viikonlopulle.
"Good afternoon, I am Ivan Petrov, I have a reservation for this weekend."

"You" or "You": how not to make a mistake

In Finland, there is a formal "you" (te) in speech, but:

● In everyday life and even in most work situations, sinä — "you" — is the dominant form.

● People switch to "you" when talking to older people, in very formal contexts, or if there is a strong sense of distance.

A gentle way to suggest switching to "you":

Saanko sinutella? — "May I use 'you'?"
Puhutellaanko etunimellä? — "Shall we use first names?"

If in doubt, just use the name without pronouns at first and see how the other person responds.

How to introduce yourself: briefly and to the point

Basic formula

Greeting + Name + role/connection + one detail + "nice to meet you"

Hello, I'm Anna. I'm an exchange student at Aalto. Nice to meet you.
"Hello, I'm Anna, an exchange student at Aalto. Nice to meet you."

At work/at a meeting

Hello, I am Sergei Ivanov, I am responsible for our team's data. Nice to meet you.
"Hello, Sergei Ivanov, I am responsible for data in our team. Nice to meet you."

If there are many people in the room, it is normal in Finland to shake hands with each person in turn, saying your name.

Small talk in Finnish: what to talk about and for how long

Topics that almost always work

● Weather and daylight
“Onpa kirkas päivä tänään.” — “What a bright day today.”

● Cities and places
“Oletko kotoisin Helsingistä?” — “Are you from Helsinki?”

● Work/study, but without probing too deeply
“Mitä teet työksesi?” — “What do you do for a living?”

● Hobbies and leisure
“Tykkäätkö ulkoilla? Käytkö paljon saunassa?” — “Do you like going outside? Do you go to the sauna often?”

What to avoid at the beginning

● Personal finances, politics, religion.

● Harsh jokes, sarcasm and teasing.

● Overly personal questions: why you don't have children, how much your flat costs, etc.

Finnish small talk is often brief: a couple of phrases, then either silence or a transition to business. This is normal.

Short dialogues "from life"

In the office corridor

— Moi!
— Moi!
— Onko sinulla ollut kiireinen aamu? — "Did you have a busy morning?"
— A little, but coffee helps. — "A little, but coffee helps."

At an event/meetup

— Hei, olen Natalia, tulen Turusta. Mitä sinä teet?
— "Hi, I'm Natalia from Turku. What do you do?"
— Hi, I'm Jussi, a software developer. Nice to meet you.
— "Hi, Jussi, software developer. Nice to meet you."

At a café

— Hi. Cappuccino, please.
— Hei, juotko kahvisi yleensä maidolla vai ilman? — "Do you usually drink your coffee with milk or without?"
(optional small talk, but very Finnish🙂 )

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

● Introductions that are too long. Save the details for later.

● Obsessive compliments about appearance. It is better to praise specific actions or ideas.

● Panic over pauses. A short silence is not a failure, but part of the rhythm of communication.

● Overuse of "How are you?" style. Constant "how are you" at every meeting is perceived as formal.

The best thing to do is to choose 3-4 phrases and practise them until they become automatic. Then, in a real situation, you won't have to search for words from scratch.

Let us know in the comments which communication situations in Finland you found most difficult or, on the other hand, unexpectedly friendly. If you've got your own "magic phrases" for meeting Finns or funny stories about Hei/Moi, share them below the article. This will make our catalogue about Finland even more useful and lively, with real examples from readers' trips.