An introduction in Finland is a short piece of work. Name, handshake, maybe where you're from — and then straight into whatever you were actually going to talk about. There's no extended warm-up, no exchange of pleasantries to get through first, and nobody expects you to be charming about it.
That's good news for a learner, because it means a small set of phrases covers the whole encounter. This lesson gives you those phrases in the order you'll need them: your name, where you come from, your age and family if it comes up, what you do, and how to close politely. Learn the first four lines and you can introduce yourself to anyone in Finland.
Your Name
What's your name?
Mikä sinun nimesi on?
My name is Maria.
Nimeni on Maria.
I'm Maria.
Olen Maria.
Nice to meet you.
Hauska tavata.
Pleased to meet you too.
Hauska tavata sinuakin.
Sorry, what was your name?
Anteeksi, mikä nimesi olikaan?
Could you repeat that?
Voitko toistaa?
Practice these words
Mikä sinun nimesi on?
Quick notes:
- Olen Maria is what Finns actually say. Nimeni on Maria is correct but slightly formal, like saying "my name is" instead of "I'm."
- Hauska tavata is the standard, and one handshake is standard with it. Finns shake hands on a first meeting and rarely otherwise.
- Finnish names are said exactly as spelled, so a Finn will get your name right on the first try far more often than you'd expect — and will expect you to manage theirs.
Where You're From
Where are you from?
Mistä olet kotoisin?
I'm from Germany.
Olen kotoisin Saksasta.
I'm German.
Olen saksalainen.
Where do you live?
Missä asut?
I live in Helsinki.
Asun Helsingissä.
I'm here on holiday.
Olen täällä lomalla.
I'm here for work.
Olen täällä työasioissa.
I've been here two weeks.
Olen ollut täällä kaksi viikkoa.
Practice these words
Mistä olet kotoisin?
Countries and where you're from:
Germany
Saksa
England
Englanti
the USA
Yhdysvallat
Sweden
Ruotsi
Russia
Venäjä
Estonia
Viro
Ukraine
Ukraina
Spain
Espanja
Italy
Italia
France
Ranska
Practice these words
Saksa
Quick notes:
- The -sta / -stä ending means "from," which is why the question word is mistä. Same ending, same idea, every time.
- Venäjältä uses -ltä instead. A handful of countries take this ending for historical reasons — learn it as an exception and move on.
- Kotoisin means "originally from," so mistä olet kotoisin? asks about your origins rather than where you slept last night.
Age and Family
How old are you?
Kuinka vanha olet?
I'm thirty.
Olen kolmekymmentä.
I'm thirty years old.
Olen 30-vuotias.
Are you married?
Oletko naimisissa?
Yes, I'm married.
Kyllä, olen naimisissa.
I have two children.
Minulla on kaksi lasta.
I don't have children.
Minulla ei ole lapsia.
This is my wife.
Tämä on vaimoni.
This is my husband.
Tämä on mieheni.
This is my friend.
Tämä on ystäväni.
Practice these words
Kuinka vanha olet?
Quick note: the -ni on the end of vaimoni, mieheni, ystäväni means "my." Finnish glues it on instead of using a separate word, so ystävä is "friend" and ystäväni is "my friend."
Work and Languages
What do you do?
Mitä teet työksesi?
I'm an engineer.
Olen insinööri.
I'm a student.
Olen opiskelija.
Do you speak English?
Puhutko englantia?
I speak a little Finnish.
Puhun vähän suomea.
I'm learning Finnish.
Opiskelen suomea.
I don't speak Finnish well.
En puhu suomea hyvin.
Could you speak more slowly?
Voisitko puhua hitaammin?
Practice these words
Mitä teet työksesi?
Quick note: puhun vähän suomea is worth saying even when it's barely true. Finns switch to English quickly and politely, and this phrase is what keeps the conversation in Finnish long enough for you to practise.
Read also: Jobs and professions in Finnish.
Closing the Conversation
It was nice to meet you.
Oli hauska tavata.
Here's my number.
Tässä on numeroni.
Let's keep in touch.
Pidetään yhteyttä.
See you around.
Nähdään.
Have a good day.
Hyvää päivänjatkoa.
Practice these words
Oli hauska tavata.
What to Know About Meeting Finns
The first thing is scale. A Finnish introduction is genuinely short, and the silence that follows it is not a gap you're expected to fill. English-speaking visitors often keep talking to cover the pause, which reads as nervousness rather than friendliness. Say your name, say hauska tavata, and let the conversation start when it starts.
The second is that small talk works differently, not that it's absent. Questions about the weather, your journey, where you're staying and what you do are all normal openers. What's less common is the rapid personal escalation an American or British conversation might make — asking about someone's family, relationship or income early on can feel intrusive. The safe ground is practical: where you're from, how long you're here, what brought you.
The third is the language question, and it's the one most likely to shape your trip. Almost every Finn under sixty speaks good English and will switch the moment they detect you struggling — not to be dismissive, but because they're being efficient and helpful. If you want to practise Finnish you have to say so, and puhun vähän suomea, haluaisin harjoitella ("I speak a little Finnish, I'd like to practise") is the sentence that does it. Say that and most Finns will happily slow down and stay in Finnish with you.