Finnish greetings: hello, goodbye, thank you and more
Greetings are the first Finnish you will use every day. Here is what Finns actually say, from the shop counter to a formal meeting, and how to answer.
5 min read · Updated 10 October 2026
Hello in Finnish
The safest word is hei. It works with anyone, at any time of day, in any situation: in a shop, at work, with your neighbour or in an email. If you only learn one greeting, learn this one.
| Finnish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hei! | Hi! / Hello! | Always fine, formal or informal |
| Moi! | Hi! | Informal, very common, also with colleagues |
| Moikka! / Heippa! | Hi! / Bye! | Friendly and informal |
| Terve! | Hello! | Casual; you hear it among friends and colleagues |
| Moro! | Hi! | Informal, typical of Tampere |
| Hyvää huomenta! / Huomenta! | Good morning! | In the morning, roughly until late morning |
| Hyvää päivää! / Päivää! | Good day! / Hello! | Polite; a bit formal, common in service |
| Hyvää iltaa! / Iltaa! | Good evening! | From early evening |
Huomenta is the everyday form of hyvää huomenta, and many people say it at work the moment they arrive. Hyvää päivää sounds polite and slightly old-fashioned between friends, but it is perfect with an older neighbour or in a formal meeting.
Hei sounds close to English “hey”. Moi rhymes with English “boy”. Stress is always on the first syllable: HUO-men-ta.
Goodbye in Finnish
| Finnish | English | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Hei hei! / Hei! | Bye! | Everyday, for anyone |
| Moi moi! / Moikka! | Bye! | Informal |
| Heippa! | Bye! | Informal, friendly |
| Nähdään! | See you! | Everyday |
| Nähdään huomenna! | See you tomorrow! | Everyday |
| Näkemiin! | Goodbye! | Polite, formal |
| Kuulemiin! | Goodbye! (on the phone) | Polite, formal |
| Hyvää yötä! | Good night! | When someone goes to bed |
Yes, Finns often say hei or moi for both hello and goodbye. Doubling it (hei hei, moi moi) makes it clearly a goodbye.
Good wishes when you leave
In shops and cafés, people often add a wish as they part. The normal answer is Kiitos, samoin! (Thanks, you too!).
Hyvää päivänjatkoa!
Have a nice rest of the day!
Hyvää viikonloppua!
Have a nice weekend!
Mukavaa illanjatkoa!
Have a nice rest of the evening!
Kiitos, samoin!
Thanks, you too!
How are you? – Mitä kuuluu?
Mitä kuuluu? literally means “What is heard?”. It is the standard “How are you?”. One thing to know: Finns usually ask it when they really want to hear the answer, so it is less common with strangers than “How are you?” in English. A cashier will normally just say Hei!
Mitä kuuluu?
How are you?
Kiitos hyvää. Entä sinulle?
Fine, thanks. And you?
Ihan hyvää.
Pretty good. / Fine.
Ei mitään erikoista.
Nothing special.
Ei kummempia.
Not much. (informal)
Vähän väsyttää.
I’m a bit tired.
Miten menee? – Hyvin menee!
How’s it going? – It’s going well!
In spoken Finnish you will hear Mitä sulle kuuluu? or simply Mitäs? among friends, and Entä sulle? (And you?). In a formal situation, use Mitä teille kuuluu?. Read more in spoken Finnish.
Introducing yourself
Minun nimeni on Anna.
My name is Anna.
Minä olen Anna.
I’m Anna.
Mikä sinun nimesi on?
What’s your name?
Hauska tutustua.
Nice to meet you.
Hauska tavata. / Kiva tavata.
Nice to meet you. (kiva is more casual)
Samoin.
Likewise.
In everyday speech, Minä olen Anna often becomes Mä oon Anna, and Mikä sun nimi on? replaces the textbook question. Both forms are fine to use; the textbook form is never wrong.
Thank you and you’re welcome
| Finnish | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kiitos! | Thank you! | Use it everywhere |
| Kiitti! | Thanks! | Informal |
| Kiitos paljon! | Thank you very much! | |
| Kiitoksia! | Thanks a lot! | Warm |
| Kiitos avusta! | Thanks for the help! | |
| Kiitos ruoasta! | Thanks for the meal! | Said to the host after eating |
| Ole hyvä! | Here you are! / You’re welcome! | To one person you call sinä |
| Olkaa hyvä! | Here you are! / You’re welcome! | Formal, or to several people |
| Ei kestä! / Eipä kestä! | You’re welcome! / No problem! | Answer to a thank you |
Finnish has no everyday word for “please”. You add kiitos to a request (Yksi kahvi, kiitos) or ask politely with a conditional form like Saisinko …? (Could I have …?). It is not rude.
Sorry and excuse me
Anteeksi!
Sorry! / Excuse me!
Anteeksi, missä on vessa?
Excuse me, where is the toilet?
Anteeksi, että olen myöhässä.
Sorry I’m late.
Sori!
Sorry! (informal)
Pahoittelen.
I apologise. (formal, often written)
Ei se mitään. / Ei haittaa.
That’s okay. / No problem.
Anteeksi does several jobs: an apology, a way to get past someone on a bus, and a way to get attention before a question.
Formal or informal?
Finnish is quite informal. Most adults say sinä (you) to each other, including colleagues and bosses. The formal te is used with older strangers, in some customer service and in very formal settings. If you are unsure, start with hei and polite phrases like Saisinko …?, and follow how the other person speaks to you. For more on sinä and te, see Finnish pronouns.
Body language
- A firm handshake with eye contact is normal in work and formal meetings.
- Friends may hug. Cheek kisses are not a Finnish custom.
- Small talk is short, and silence is not awkward. You do not need to fill every pause.
- In a shop, a simple Hei! and Kiitos! is all that is expected.
Maija’s classes include real-life scenarios like small talk at work and short chats in a shop, so you can practise these greetings out loud before you need them.
Practise with Maija
Greetings sound natural only after you have said them many times. Maija is a Finnish speaking tutor you talk to out loud, with explanations in 12 languages. She answers you and gently corrects you. Take the free level check to start at your level, or see more basic Finnish phrases.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say hello in Finnish?+
Hei is the universal hello. Moi is a very common informal hi, and Huomenta, Päivää and Iltaa are good morning, good day and good evening.
What does moi mean?+
Moi is an informal “hi” used by people of all ages. Moi moi means “bye”.
How do you answer Mitä kuuluu?+
Say Kiitos hyvää (Fine, thanks) or Ihan hyvää (Pretty good), and ask back: Entä sinulle? (And you?).
How do you say thank you in Finnish?+
Kiitos. Kiitos paljon is thank you very much, and kiitti is an informal thanks. The usual reply is Ole hyvä or Ei kestä.
Is näkemiin formal?+
Yes, näkemiin is a polite goodbye. Among friends and colleagues, hei hei, moi moi or nähdään is more natural.