Your lease, the listing and the notice board in the stairwell are in Finnish, and they contain the words that decide what you pay, what you may do and whom to call when the tap leaks. Learn them once.
On the listing and the lease
| yksiö | studio apartment |
| kaksio | two-room apartment (one bedroom + living room) Finns count rooms, not bedrooms. |
| kolmio | three-room apartment |
| 2h + k + s | 2 rooms + kitchen + sauna kk = kitchenette, kph = bathroom, p = balcony |
| neliö, neliöt | square metre, square metres (m²) |
| kerros, 3. krs | floor, 3rd floor |
| hissi | lift |
| parveke | balcony |
| kalustettu | furnished |
| vapautuu 1.11. | available from 1 November |
| vuokra | rent |
| takuuvuokra, vakuus | deposit (usually 1 to 2 months' rent) |
| vesimaksu | water fee (often per person per month) |
| sähkö ei sisälly vuokraan | electricity not included in the rent |
| vuokranantaja | landlord |
| vuokralainen | tenant |
| vuokrasopimus | lease, rental agreement |
| toistaiseksi voimassa oleva | valid until further notice (open-ended) |
| määräaikainen | fixed-term |
| irtisanomisaika | notice period (one month for tenants) |
| kotivakuutus | home insurance |
| muuttoilmoitus | notification of move |
In the building
| taloyhtiö | housing company (owns the building) |
| isännöitsijä | property manager |
| huoltomies, huoltoyhtiö | maintenance man, maintenance company The number is on the board in the stairwell. Call them for a leaking tap. |
| rappu, porras, A-rappu | stairwell, staircase A |
| ovikoodi | door code |
| saunavuoro | your booked sauna slot |
| pesutupa | laundry room |
| kuivaushuone | drying room |
| varasto, kellarikomero | storage, cellar locker |
| pyörävarasto | bicycle storage |
| jätekatos | waste shelter (the bins) |
| biojäte, sekajäte, kartonki, lasi, metalli, muovi | biowaste, mixed waste, cardboard, glass, metal, plastic |
| ilmoitustaulu | notice board |
| hiljaisuus klo 22–7 | quiet hours 22–7 |
| remontti | renovation |
| vesikatko | water cut (announced on the board) |
In the apartment
| eteinen | hallway (where the shoes go) |
| olohuone | living room |
| makuuhuone | bedroom |
| keittiö | kitchen |
| kylpyhuone | bathroom |
| vessa, WC | toilet |
| sauna | sauna |
| lattialämmitys | underfloor heating |
| patteri | radiator |
| jääkaappi, pakastin | fridge, freezer |
| astianpesukone | dishwasher |
| pyykinpesukone | washing machine |
| liesi, uuni | stove, oven |