Small talk

What to say when you unexpectedly meet someone you haven't seen for a while? In a situation where you only have a couple of minutes time to talk and no time to think about Finnish? Be prepared! Using these comments and questions, plan your own mini-conversation and get ready to do some serious small talk in Finnish.

Get started:

• Ai, sinäkin olet täällä. - Oh, you are here too.
• Eipä ollakaan nähty pitkään aikaan! - Wow, we haven't seen each other for a long time!
• Onpa kiva nähdä pitkästä aikaa! - It's so nice to see you. It's been a long time.

Random questions, observations and reactions:

• Oletko sä vielä samassa paikassa töissä? - Do you still work at the same place?
• Missäs sinä olitkaan töissä? - Tell me again, where do you work?
• Mitä sun lapsille/perheelle kuuluu? - How are your kids/How is your family doing?
• Onpa sun lapset jo isoja! - Well aren't your kids big already! (In standard Finnish: Ovatpa sinun lapsesi jo isoja.)
• Milloin sinulla on laskettu aika? - When is your baby due? (Be careful with this one!!)
• Vau, onneksi olkoon, tosi hieno juttu! - Wow, congratulations, that's awesome!
• Ai kamalaa!  - That's horrible! 

Time to go:

• Mennään joskus kahville ja jutellaan lisää. - Let's go for a coffee some time and talk some more. 
• Olihan sulla mun puhelinnumero? - You have my phone number, don't you?
• Ollaan yhteydessä. - Let's be in touch.
• Olipa kiva törmätä! - Oh how nice it was to run into you! 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About the author of this blog:

My name is Hanna Männikkölahti, and I am a native Finn who gives private lessons via Skype and simplifies books into easy Finnish. Please leave a comment, if you have something to ask about Finnish or novels in easy Finnish.

Lue lisää selkokirjoistani: www.hannamannikkolahti.com

Voit myös seurata YouTube-kanavaani ja Podcast-kanavaani.