Important Words and Phrases
- kyllä – yes
- joo – yes (informal)
- ei – no
- en – I will not / I do not
- minä, sinä, hän (se) – I, you, he/she(it)
- me, te, he (ne) – we, you (two or more), they
- (minä) olen – I am
- (sinä) olet – you are (singular)
- te olette – you are (plural)
- (minä) en ole – I am not
- (sinä) et ole – You are not
- yksi, kaksi, kolme – one, two, three
- neljä, viisi, kuusi – four, five, six
- seitsemän, kahdeksan – seven, eight
- yhdeksän, kymmenen – nine, ten
- yksitoista, kaksitoista, kolmetoista – eleven, twelve, thirteen
- sata, tuhat, miljoona – hundred, thousand, million
- (minä) rakastan sinua – I love you
- kiitos – thank you
- anteeksi – forgive me, excuse me, sorry
- voitko auttaa – can you help
- apua! – help!
- voisit(te)ko auttaa – could you help
- missä ... on? – where is ...?
- olen pahoillani – I'm sorry (apology)
- otan osaa – My condolences
- onnea – good luck
- totta kai/tietysti/toki – of course
- pieni hetki, pikku hetki, hetkinen – one moment please!
- odota – wait
- missä on vessa? – where is the bathroom?
- Suomi – Finland
- suomi/suomen kieli – Finnish language
- suomalainen – (noun) Finn; (adjective) Finnish
- En ymmärrä – I don't understand
- (Minä) ymmärrän – I understand
- ¹Ymmärrät(te)kö suomea? – Do you understand Finnish?
- ¹Puhut(te)ko englantia? – Do you speak English?
- Olen englantilainen / amerikkalainen / kanadalainen / australialainen / uusiseelantilainen / irlantilainen / skotlantilainen / walesilainen / ranskalainen / saksalainen / kiinalainen / japanilainen – I am English / American / Canadian / Australian / New Zealander / Irish / Scottish / Welsh / French / German / Chinese / Japanese
- ¹Olet(te)ko englantilainen? – Are you English?
- Missä (sinä) asut/¹Missä (te) asutte? – Where do you live?
¹ -te is added to make the sentence formal (T-V distinction). Otherwise, without the added "-te", it is informal. It is also added when talking to more than one person. The transition from second-person singular to second-person plural (teitittely) is a politeness pattern, advised by many "good manners guides". Elderly people, especially, expect it from strangers, whereas the younger might feel it to be too formal to the point of coldness. However, a learner of the language should not be excessively concerned about it. Omitting it is never offensive, but one should keep in mind that on formal occasions this custom may make a good impression.
Read more about this topic: Finnish Language
Famous quotes containing the words important, words and/or phrases:
“Nature, we are starting to realize, is every bit as important as nurture. Genetic influences, brain chemistry, and neurological development contribute strongly to who we are as children and what we become as adults. For example, tendencies to excessive worrying or timidity, leadership qualities, risk taking, obedience to authority, all appear to have a constitutional aspect.”
—Stanley Turecki (20th century)
“the only truth is face to face, the poem whose words become your
mouth
and dying in black and white we fight for what we love, not are”
—Frank O’Hara (1926–1966)
“She loved Cecil; George made her nervous; will the reader explain to her that the phrases should have been reversed?”
—E.M. (Edward Morgan)