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Finnish words

The dictionary of your first months in Finland.

Updated 26 October 2026

The words you need in your first months in Finland, grouped by situation. Verbs and nouns link to their full form tables. Use the filter to find a Finnish word or an English meaning.

Adjectives (23)

Adverbs (14)

Animals (3)

Basics (11)

Body (5)

Bureaucracy (18)

Clothes (3)

Culture (10)

Education (8)

Emergencies (4)

Everyday (8)

Family (9)

Food (16)

Greetings and politeness (12)

Health (9)

Home and housing (14)

Language (4)

Money (15)

Nature (7)

Numbers (12)

People (6)

Phone (6)

Place (6)

Politeness (3)

Pronouns (9)

Question words (10)

Shopping (8)

Spoken Finnish (2)

Time (22)

Transport (10)

Verbs (147)

ollato be, to have (with minulla on) A1 mennäto go A1 tullato come, to become A1 saadato get, to receive, to be allowed A1 tehdäto do, to make A1 voidacan, to be able to A1 halutato want A1 puhuato speak, to talk A1 sanoato say A1 tietääto know (a fact) A1 asuato live (reside) A1 osatato know how to, can (skill) A1 ottaato take A1 pitääto like; to have to; to hold A1 ymmärtääto understand A1 antaato give A1 käydäto visit, to go (and come back) A1 maksaato pay, to cost A1 nähdäto see A1 syödäto eat A1 tarvitato need A1 opiskellato study A1 oppiato learn A1 lukeato read A1 katsoato watch, to look A1 kirjoittaato write A1 ostaato buy A1 ajatellato think A1 auttaato help A1 hakeato fetch, to apply for A1 juodato drink A1 kysyäto ask A1 lähteäto leave, to set off A1 odottaato wait, to expect A1 alkaato begin, to start A1 etsiäto look for, to search A1 kuunnellato listen A1 käyttääto use A1 laittaato put, to place; to cook A1 löytääto find A1 muuttaato move (house), to change A1 noustato get up, to rise, to go up A1 soittaato call (phone), to play (instrument) A1 tykätäto like (colloquial) A1 vastatato answer, to reply A1 kertoato tell A1 muistaato remember A1 tavatato meet A1 yrittääto try A1 aloittaato start, to begin (something) A1 lähettääto send A1 myydäto sell A1 nukkuato sleep A1 tarkoittaato mean A1 ajaato drive A1 avatato open A1 jäädäto stay, to remain A1 kävelläto walk A1 herätäto wake up A1 lopettaato stop, to finish, to quit A1 näyttääto show; to look (seem) A2 rakastaato love A1 tunteato know (a person), to feel A2 tuodato bring A1 työskennelläto work A2 unohtaato forget A1 varatato book, to reserve A1 viedäto take (away), to bring (to) A1 jatkaato continue A2 päättääto decide; to end A2 tilatato order A1 tuntuato feel (seem) A2 täyttääto fill (in), to turn (age) A1 elääto live (be alive), to lead a life A2 matkustaato travel A1 pyytääto ask for, to request A2 tapahtuato happen A2 istuato sit A1 luullato think, to suppose A2 sopiato agree; to fit, to suit A2 sulkeato close A1 valitato choose A2 kestääto last, to take (time); to endure A2 palatato return, to come back A2 pärjätäto manage, to cope, to get by A2 uskoato believe A2 harjoitellato practise A1 kiittääto thank A1 pannato put A2 pelatato play (a game) A1 pestäto wash A1 sataato rain, to snow A1 seisoato stand A1 tarkistaato check A2 toivoato hope, to wish A2 vaihtaato change, to exchange, to switch A2 vuokratato rent A2 harrastaato have as a hobby A1 riittääto be enough A2 selittääto explain A2 siivotato clean A1 ilmoittaato notify, to inform, to register (for) A2 juostato run A1 leikkiäto play (children) A1 onnistuato succeed A2 syntyäto be born A2 tarjotato offer A2 toistaato repeat A1 uidato swim A1 kasvaato grow A2 säästääto save (money) A2 allekirjoittaato sign A2 ansaitato earn A2 ilmoittautuato register, to sign up A2 keittääto boil, to brew A1 korjatato fix, to repair, to correct A2 kuollato die A2 lainatato borrow, to lend A2 paistaato shine; to fry A1 pelätäto fear, to be afraid of A2 rakentaato build A2 pudotato fall, to drop A2 saunoato have a sauna A1 suositellato recommend B1 tunnistautuato identify oneself (strong authentication) A2 väsyäto get tired A2 hiihtääto ski (cross-country) A2 hypätäto jump A2 kadotato disappear, to get lost B1 leipoato bake A2 merkitäto mean, to mark B1 rekisteröidäto register (something) B1 tulla toimeento get by, to manage A2 erotato divorce, to separate, to differ B1 hallitato master, to control, to govern B1 häiritäto disturb, to bother B1 lomaillato be on holiday A2 mainitato mention B1 kelvatato be acceptable, to do B1 naidato marry B1 pimetäto get dark B1 tuntea olonsato feel (a certain way) B1 kylmetäto get cold B1 lämmetäto get warm B1 paetato flee, to escape B1 vanhetato grow old B1 valjetato get light, to dawn B1

Weather (12)

Work (16)