In the Finnish language, slang plays a significant role, especially among younger speakers. It can vary greatly from standard Finnish, often being influenced by English, Swedish, and other languages. Here, we explore some common Finnish slang terms and their meanings to help you sound like a native!
Moro
Moro is a casual greeting, equivalent to saying ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ in English.
Moro! Miten menee?
Mutsi
Mutsi refers to ‘mother’, used in a very informal context.
Mutsi soitti mulle eilen.
Faija
Faija means ‘father’, and like mutsi, it’s used informally.
Faija osti uuden auton.
Heittää läppää
This phrase means to joke around or to tease someone lightly.
Älä ota vakavasti, mä vain heitän läppää.
Snadi
Snadi is a slang term for ‘small’ or ‘little’.
Voisitko antaa mulle snadin palan?
Bisnes
Bisnes directly translates to ‘business’, and is often used in the context of work or transactions.
Hän on tosi kiireinen bisneksen kanssa.
Darra
Darra is the slang term for a hangover.
Mulla on hirveä darra eilisestä.
Läppäri
Läppäri refers to a laptop computer.
Unohdin läppärini kotiin.
Stadi
Stadi is a colloquial term for Helsinki, the capital city of Finland.
Asun Stadissa, lähellä keskustaa.
Skidi
Skidi means a kid or a child, often used affectionately.
Näitkö sen skidin, joka juoksi ohi?
Broidi
Broidi is a casual term for ‘brother’.
Broidi tulee käymään meillä huomenna.
Systeri
Systeri means ‘sister’, similar in use to broidi.
Systeri opiskelee yliopistossa.
Leffa
Leffa is slang for a movie or film.
Mennäänkö katsomaan uutta leffaa tänään?
Mesta
Mesta refers to a place or spot, often a hangout location.
Tavataan tutussa mestassa kahden tunnin päästä.
Kimppa
Kimppa means doing something together, usually referred to as ‘jointly’ or ‘in a group’.
Me tehdään tämä kimpassa, niin se on helpompaa.
Duuni
Duuni is an informal way of saying ‘work’ or ‘job’.
Mulla on uusi duuni kaupungin keskustassa.
Hessu
Hessu refers to a clumsy or goofy person, often used affectionately.
Älä ole sellainen hessu!
Tsägä
Tsägä refers to luck or chance.
Mulla kävi hyvä tsägä lotossa.
Tsuippi
Tsuippi means tipsy or slightly drunk.
Taidan olla vähän tsuippi.
Säbä
Säbä is a casual term for a friend or buddy.
Säbä, tuletko mukaan leffaan?
Understanding and using these slang terms can significantly enhance your ability to communicate effectively and casually with Finnish speakers. It’s a fun way to dive deeper into the culture and feel more connected to the language. Remember, the key to mastering slang is practice and more practice, so don’t hesitate to try these out in your conversations!
