No Niin — the Most Finnish Word There Is
No niin does more jobs than any other two syllables in the language: it opens a meeting, closes a meal, calms a child, and signals right, let's go. The comedian Ismo Leikola built a whole routine on it. What it means is almost entirely in the intonation; what it signals is always a transition — something is about to start, resume or end.
| All right, let's start the meeting! | No niin, aloitetaan kokous! |
Ai — the Bare Reaction
You have had ai jaa (oh, I see) since position 59. Bare ai is its sharper cousin: surprise or a small pain — oh!, ouch! — and with a question mark it asks really?
| Oh, sorry, I did not see you. | Ai, anteeksi, en nähnyt sinua. |
Jutustelu — Small Talk, the Finnish Way
Jutustelu (from jutella, position 65) is light, unhurried chatting — VT1 introduces it with the loan phrase small talk right beside it. Finnish small talk runs quieter than the anglophone kind: silence is comfortable, and weather is always a safe opening.
| Finnish small talk is often quiet. | Suomalainen jutustelu on usein hiljaista. |
Otan Osaa — the Formula of Sympathy
At a loss, Finns say otan osaa — literally I take part (in your sorrow) — the fixed condolence formula for funerals, cards and quiet moments. It is the one phrase in this lesson you hope to need rarely; learn it whole.
Vitsi
Vitsi is a joke — kertoa vitsi, to tell a joke. (As an exclamation, voi vitsi! is a mild oh man!)
| He always tells good jokes. | Hän kertoo aina hyviä vitsejä. |
