Language/Finnish/Vocabulary/Introducing-Yourself
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As a Finnish language teacher, I find it essential to teach my students how to introduce themselves and ask for someone's name in Finnish. It's the basic step to start any conversation, and it's crucial to get it right. In this lesson, we will cover some vocabulary related to introductions and practice some useful phrases. So, let's get started!
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: Numbers 1 20 & Animals.
Greetings[edit | edit source]
Before we dive into introductions, let's review some basic greetings in Finnish. Knowing how to greet someone is important to start any conversation. Here are some common Finnish greetings:
Finnish | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Hei | [ˈhe̞i] | Hello |
Moi | [ˈmo̞i] | Hi |
Terve | [ˈterve̞] | Hi / Bye / Cheers / Healthy |
Päivää | [ˈpæi̯väː] | Good day |
Hyvää huomenta | [hyʋæː ˈhuo̯mentæ] | Good morning |
Hyvää päivää | [hyʋæː ˈpæi̯ʋæː] | Good afternoon |
Hyvää iltaa | [hyʋæː ˈiltæː] | Good evening |
Näkemiin | [ˈnæke̞mine̞n] | Goodbye |
Moikka | [ˈmo̞i̯kːɑ] | Bye |
Remember that in Finland, it's common to greet people with a handshake. So, be prepared to shake hands when you meet someone.
Introducing Yourself[edit | edit source]
Introducing yourself is one of the first things you'll have to do when meeting new people. Here are some common ways to introduce yourself in Finnish:
- Olen [name] - I am [name]
- Minun nimeni on [name] - My name is [name]
- Hauska tavata - Nice to meet you
- Mitä kuuluu? - How are you?
After you introduce yourself, it's common to ask the other person's name. Here are some phrases that you can use:
- Mikä sinun nimesi on? - What is your name?
- Mikä on teidän nimenne? - What is your name? (formal)
The word "sinun" means "your" in the singular form, and "teidän" means "your" in the plural form. If you're not sure whether to use the singular or plural form, it's always safe to use the plural form.
Here are some example dialogues:
Finnish | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
A: Moi, olen Maria. | [ˈmo̞i̯ ˈole̞n ˈmɑriɑ] | Hi, I am Maria. |
B: Moi, minun nimeni on Mikko. Hauska tavata. | [ˈmo̞i̯ ˈminun ˈnime̞ni on ˈmikːo] [ˈhɑuska ˈtɑʋɑtɑ] | Hi, my name is Mikko. Nice to meet you. |
A: Mikä sinun nimesi on? | [ˈmikæ ˈsinun ˈnime̞si‿on] | What is your name? |
B: Minun nimeni on Anna. Entä sinun nimesi? | [ˈminun ˈnime̞ni‿on ˈɑnːɑ] [ˈentæ ˈsinun ˈnime̞si] | My name is Anna. And what is your name? |
Vocabulary[edit | edit source]
Let's go through some important vocabulary related to introductions:
Finnish | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
nimi | [ˈnimi] | name |
sukunimi | [ˈsukuˌnimi] | surname |
etunimi | [ˈetuˌnimi] | first name |
ammatti | [ˈɑmːɑtːi] | profession / occupation |
ikä | [ˈikæ] | age |
syntymäaika | [ˈsyntymæˌɑi̯kæ] | birthdate |
Here's an example dialogue using some of this vocabulary:
Finnish | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
A: Hei, mikä sinun nimesi on? | [hei̯] [mikæ ˈsinun ˈnime̞si‿on] | Hi, what is your name? |
B: Olen Anna. | [ˈole̞n ˈɑnːɑ] | I am Anna. |
A: Kiva tavata, Anna. Mikä on sukunimesi? | [ˈkiʋɑ ˈtɑʋɑtɑ ˈɑnːɑ] [ˈmikæ‿on ˈsukuˌnime̞si] | Nice to meet you, Anna. What is your surname? |
B: Sukunimeni on Karlsson. | [ˈsukuˌnime̞ni‿on ˈkɑrlsˌson] | My surname is Karlsson. |
A: Mikä on ammattisi? | [ˈmikæ‿on ˈɑmːɑtːisi] | What is your profession? |
B: Olen opettaja. | [ˈole̞n ɔpe̞tˈtɑjɑ] | I am a teacher. |
A: Miten vanha olet? | [ˈmite̞n ˈvɑnhɑ ˈole̞t] | How old are you? |
B: Olen 35 vuotta. | [ˈole̞n 35 ˈʋuotɑ] | I am 35 years old. |
A: Milloin olet syntynyt? | [ˈmilloin ˈole̞t ˈsyntynyt] | When were you born? |
B: Olen syntynyt kuudennentoista heinäkuuta vuonna 1985. | [ˈole̞n ˈsyntynyt ˈkuːdenːentoistɑ ˈheinæˌkuu̯tɑ ˈʋuonːɑ 1985] | I was born on the 16th of July 1985. |
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Learning how to introduce yourself and ask for someone's name in Finnish is an essential first step in mastering the language. In this lesson, we covered some basic vocabulary related to introductions and practiced some useful phrases. Keep practicing, and soon you'll be able to introduce yourself confidently in Finnish!
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: Politics and Government & Education.
Videos[edit | edit source]
Learn Finnish - Finnish in Three Minutes - How to Introduce Yourself ...[edit | edit source]
Colloquial Finnish : Finnish words & Introducing Yourself - YouTube[edit | edit source]
ALL Phrases to Introduce Yourself like a Native Finnish Speaker ...[edit | edit source]
How to introduce yourself in Finnish - in a natural way! (FIN & ENG ...[edit | edit source]
How to introduce yourself in Finnish - YouTube[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Home
- Weather Vocabulary
- Animals
- Days of the Week
- Parts of the Body
- Camping
- Family and Relationships
- Modes of Transportation
- Food and Beverage
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
Sources[edit | edit source]
- How to introduce yourself in Finnish - A good place to start learning ...
- 10 Finnish Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself
◀️ Basic Greetings — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Noun Cases ▶️ |