How to Say Hello in Finnish: 21 Greetings From Hei to Moi

Knowing how to say hello in Finnish is a small thing that goes a long way. Finland is a country where greetings carry genuine weight, they are not performances, they are not filler. When a Finn says hei, they mean it. When they stay silent, they also mean it. This guide covers the full range: casual hellos, formal greetings, time-of-day phrases, regional favourites and the Finnish approach to goodbye. By the end you will know not just what to say, but when to say it and when to say nothing at all.

Hei, the standard Finnish hello

Hei (pronounced "hay") is the most widely used greeting in Finnish. It works across nearly every context, casual, semi-formal, spoken, written. If you learn one word before visiting Finland, this is the one. It carries no particular register and no particular urgency. You can say it to a stranger on the street, a colleague in the corridor or a friend you see every day. None of them will notice anything unusual. It just works.

Moi, relaxed and everyday

Moi (sounds like "moy") is the casual everyday hello, particularly common with younger Finns and in informal settings. It functions both as a greeting and, slightly confusingly, as a goodbye, depending on context. Moikka is a warmer, more enthusiastic variation. Moimoi doubles up as a cheerful farewell. These belong in conversations with friends and family, not in job interviews or formal emails.

Heippa, heips and heissan

These are upbeat, casual variants of hei. Heippa is particularly common as a goodbye. Heips and heissan appear more in text messages and relaxed speech. They are friendly but informal, context matters. None of them belong in a professional setting.

Terve, health as a greeting

Terve means "healthy" in Finnish, but functions as a fairly standard casual greeting. It is slightly warmer and more personal than a neutral hei and is used across a wide range of situations. Among people who know each other well, a brisk terve carries a quiet warmth that is very Finnish.

Moro, the Tampere greeting

Moro originated in Tampere but has spread nationwide, especially among younger speakers. It is casual, warm and carries a slight regional flavour that most Finns recognise and like. Using it correctly is a small marker of cultural familiarity. Using it with someone from Tampere almost always goes down well.

Formal Finnish greetings

Finnish has formal, time-of-day greetings for professional contexts, correspondence and meeting people you do not know:

• Hyvää huomenta, Good morning
• Hyvää päivää, Good day
• Hyvää iltaa, Good evening
• Hyvää yötä, Goodnight

Päivää alone (without hyvää) is slightly more abrupt, fine among acquaintances, a little curt with strangers. In a professional meeting or with someone you have never met, hyvää päivää is the right choice.

How are you, Finnish style

Mitä kuuluu? is the standard "how are you", literally "what do you hear?". Miten menee? ("how is it going?") is a slightly more casual version. Unlike in many cultures, if a Finn asks either of these questions, they may genuinely want to know the answer. The question is not purely phatic. Answer honestly, but briefly, Finland is not a country that rewards lengthy emotional disclosure at the front door.

Goodbye in Finnish

Näkemiin is the formal goodbye, "until we see each other again." Hei hei or moimoi cover the casual register. Heippa sits comfortably in between. Finnish phone calls often end without any goodbye at all, the conversation concludes and the call ends. If you find this abrupt, know that it is not personal. It is simply efficient. Understanding these small moments is part of what the guide to Finnish personality traits covers in more depth.

And if you want to understand the single most versatile word in the Finnish language, the two-syllable expression that covers hello, goodbye, acknowledgment, agreement, mild despair and deep understanding, there is a full guide to what no niin means that is worth reading.

The No Niin collection is for people who have encountered the word and never quite recovered.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common way to say hello in Finnish?

Hei is the most widely used Finnish greeting. It works in almost any context, formal or casual and is universally understood. Moi is slightly more casual and very common in everyday speech, particularly among younger Finns.

What does moi mean in Finnish?

Moi is a casual Finnish greeting meaning "hi" or "hello." It also functions as a goodbye in the form moimoi. It is informal and friendly, the equivalent of a relaxed wave and is most common in everyday conversation rather than professional settings.

How do you say goodbye in Finnish?

Näkemiin is the formal goodbye, meaning "until we see each other again." In casual contexts, hei hei, moimoi or heippa are all common. Finns often end phone calls without a formal goodbye, the conversation simply concludes.

101 Very Finnish Problems began as a list of observations about Finnish life. It became a book because the observations kept coming.