First Phrases

New Year phrases · Suomi

New Year phrases in Finnish: 20 phrases

Wish people a happy new year, raise a glass, ask to join a table, find out who is watching the fireworks and where, ask for the last metro, and say thank you, you too. Short, common phrases for New Year's Eve and the winter holidays; secular greetings only.

Phrases, not advice. These cards only help you say what you need. They give no medical, legal, tax or financial advice. For any decision, ask the pharmacist, doctor, bank or the official office.

Register: Informal (friendly). In Finland New Year's Eve is "uudenvuodenaatto". Finnish has no formal/informal switch like tu/vous: "sinä" (you, one person) and "te" (you, a group or a stranger you want to be polite to) are both fine, and first names are used with everyone.

How to read the sounds: Finnish is spelled as pronounced, and the stress is always on the first syllable. Doubled vowels (aa, ii, uu, ää) and doubled consonants (kk, ll, tt, ss) are held noticeably longer. ü = say 'ee' with rounded lips, ä = the a of 'cat', ö = the eu of French 'peu'. ai = eye, ei = ay, oi = oy, u = oo. Hyphens split syllables and CAPITALS mark the stressed one.

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20 phrases you will need

  1. 01Neutral
    Hyvää uutta vuotta!
    Say it like: HÜ-vää UUT-ta VUOT-ta
    Happy New Year!
    Register: Said from midnight on.
  2. 02Neutral
    Kaikkea hyvää vuodelle 2027!
    Say it like: KAIK-ke-a HÜ-vää VUO-del-le KAK-si-tu-hat-ta-kak-si-küm-men-tä-seit-se-män
    All the best for 2027!
    Register: Literally "everything good for the year 2027". The year is spoken as one long word.
  3. 03Neutral
    Kippis!
    Say it like: KIP-pis
    Cheers!
    Register: Used everywhere when glasses are raised.
  4. 04Neutral
    Hyvää joulua!
    Say it like: HÜ-vää JOU-lu-a
    Merry Christmas!
    Register: The standard greeting.
  5. 05Neutral
    Hyvää joulunaikaa!
    Say it like: HÜ-vää JOU-lun-ai-kaa
    Happy holidays!
    Register: Literally "good Christmas time"; fits the whole winter break.
  6. 06Neutral
    Kiitos, samoin!
    Say it like: KII-tos SA-moin
    Thank you, you too!
    Register: The usual reply to any good wish.
  7. 07Neutral
    Saanko liittyä seuraan?
    Say it like: SAAN-ko LIIT-tü-ä SEU-raan
    Can I join you?
    Register: Literally "may I join the company?"
  8. 08Informal
    Mitä teet uudenvuodenaattona?
    Say it like: MI-tä TEET UU-den-vuo-den-aat-to-na
    What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
    Register: Literally "what do you do on New Year's Eve?" Polite: "Mitä teette ...?"
  9. 09Informal
    Missä katsot ilotulitusta?
    Say it like: MIS-sä KAT-sot I-lo-tu-li-tus-ta
    Where are you watching the fireworks?
    Register: Casual, "sinä".
  10. 10Neutral
    Onko tämä jono sisään?
    Say it like: ON-ko TÄ-mä JO-no SI-sään
    Is this the queue to get in?
    Register: Literally "is this the queue inside?" Finnish needs a case ending on the place, so this version is the safe one.
  11. 11Neutral
    On jäätävän kylmä!
    Say it like: ON JÄÄ-tä-vän KÜL-mä
    It's freezing!
    Register: Literally "it is freezingly cold".
  12. 12Informal
    Tiedätkö paikan, joka on auki tänä iltana?
    Say it like: TIE-dät-kö PAI-kan JO-ka on AU-ki TÄ-nä IL-ta-na
    Do you know a place that's open tonight?
    Register: Polite: "Tiedättekö paikan ...?"
  13. 13Neutral
    Milloin lähtee viimeinen metro?
    Say it like: MIL-loin LÄH-tee VII-mei-nen MET-ro
    What time is the last metro?
    Register: Literally "when does the last metro leave?" For a bus say "viimeinen bussi".
  14. 14Polite
    Voisitko ottaa meistä kuvan?
    Say it like: VOI-sit-ko OT-taa MEIS-tä KU-van
    Could you take a photo of us?
    Register: Polite; "Voitko ottaa ...?" is more casual.
  15. 15Informal
    Samaan aikaan ensi vuonna!
    Say it like: SA-maan AI-kaan EN-si VUON-na
    Same time next year!
    Register: Literally "at the same time next year".
  16. 16Neutral
    Onko tämä paikka vapaa?
    Say it like: ON-ko TÄ-mä PAIK-ka VA-paa
    Is this seat free?
    Register: Said at a table or on a bench.
  17. 17Informal
    Saanko tarjota sinulle juotavaa?
    Say it like: SAAN-ko TAR-jo-ta SI-nul-le JUO-ta-vaa
    Can I buy you a drink?
    Register: Friendly; literally "may I offer you something to drink?"
  18. 18Informal
    Kohta on keskiyö!
    Say it like: KOH-ta ON KES-ki-yö
    It's almost midnight!
    Register: Literally "soon it is midnight".
  19. 19Neutral
    Mukavaa iltaa!
    Say it like: MU-ka-vaa IL-taa
    Have a good evening!
    Register: A friendly way to leave.
  20. 20Informal
    Oliko sinulla hyvä joulu?
    Say it like: O-li-ko SI-nul-la HÜ-vä JOU-lu
    Did you have a nice Christmas?
    Register: Use it after Christmas.

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Quick answers

How do you say Happy New Year in Finnish?

Say: "Hyvää uutta vuotta!" (Happy New Year!)

Should I use informal or formal Finnish at a New Year's Eve party?

In Finland New Year's Eve is "uudenvuodenaatto". Finnish has no formal/informal switch like tu/vous: "sinä" (you, one person) and "te" (you, a group or a stranger you want to be polite to) are both fine, and first names are used with everyone.

How do I ask to join a table in Finnish?

Try: "Saanko liittyä seuraan?" (Can I join you?)

New Year phrases in another language

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All survival decks · Phrases for an evening out

How it works

  1. Pick the language of the country you are celebrating in.
  2. Read the phrases: each has the English meaning, an easy pronunciation guide and a register note. Tap the speaker to hear it in your device's voice, or tap Practise to record yourself and compare with the model (your recording never leaves your device).
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending.
  4. Then open Meet & Mint to find events near you, see who else is going, join alone and chat with the group.

firstphrases.app/survival/newyear/fi/ · Phrases, not advice · Meet & Mint