Asuminen Kerrostalossa - Living in Finland

In this article, you can find all kinds of vocabulary related to asuminen kerrostalossa, such as housing types, payment types and shared areas in apartment buildings. This article is mainly centered around life in blocks of flats.

Types of areas – Millaisessa paikassa sinä asut?

Finnish	English
alue	area
asuinalue	neighborhood
lähiympäristö	vicinity, close environment
asuinlähiö	residential suburb
esikaupunki	suburban city
kaupunki	city
kylä	village
suurkaupunki	metropolis
maaseutu	countryside

Types of houses – Millaisessa asunnossa sinä asut?

Finnish	English
koti	home
talo	house
asunto	residence, apartment
huoneisto	apartment, flat (pic)
yksiö	one-room apartment (bedroom and living room in one)
kaksio	two-room apartment
kolmio	three-room apartment
rakennus	building
kerrostalo	block of flats
pienkerrostalo	low block of flats (2-3 floors)
paritalo	semi-detached house
rivitalo	row house
vuokra-asunto	rental house
omistusasunto	owner-occupied house
opiskelija-asunto	student apartment
soluasunto	shared apartment
palvelutalo	service flat

Housing fees – Mitä kaikkea sinun täytyy maksaa?

Finnish	English
vuokra	rent
vesimaksu	water fee (often included in rent)
sähkölasku	electricity bill
internetyhteys	internet connection
internetlasku	internet bill
asumistuki	housing support (from Kela)
kotivakuutus	home insurance
takuuvuokra	warranty deposite
vuokravakuus	security deposit
autopaikkamaksu	parking space fee
lämmityspaikkamaksu	parking space heating fee (useful in winter)
hoitovastike	monthly maintenance fee for owners in apartment building
asuntolaina	mortgage
asuntolainan lyhennys	monthly repayment of morgage

People – Kuka asuu tai tekee töitä kerrostalossa?

Finnish	English
asukas	resident
vuokralainen	tenant
omistaja	owner
vuokranantaja	lessor, landlord
naapuri	neighbor
kämppäkaveri	roommate
kamppis	roomie
talonmies	janitor (who e.g. mows the grass and plows the snow)
huoltomies	serviceman (who comes to e.g. repair broken faucets)
isännöitsijä	housing manager (where you get help if you e.g. lock yourself out)
taloyhtiö	housing company (all owners in an apartment building belong)
kiinteistönvälittäjä	real estate agent

Shared accomodations – Mitä yhteisiä tiloja kerrostalossa on?

Finnish	English
hissi	elevator
kylmäkellari	cool cellar, section for each resident to store e.g. jams
varasto	storage area
varastohäkki	separate locked storage section for each resident’s stuff
pyörävarasto	bike storage area
ulkoiluvälinevarasto	outdoor equipment storage area (pic)
lastenvaunuvarasto	pram and pushchair storage area
autopaikka	parking space (often reserved to specific resident)
autotalli	garage (often reserved for specific residents) (pic)
roskakatos	outside garbage container area with roof (often locked)
roska-astiat	garbage collection bins
leikkialue	play area
mattoteline	rug rack (in the yard, for anyone to use)
vieraspysäköinti	parking for visitors
kellari	cellar
pesutupa	laundry room (can be used by all residents)
pyykkivuoro	laundry room reservation
kuivaushuone	drying room (to hang your laundry) (pic)
saunavuoro	resident’s sauna reservation
vakiosaunavuoro	fixed (weekly) sauna reservation
rappu	entrance to apartment building (e.g. A, B)
A-rappu, B-rappu	specific entrance to apartment building
rappukäytävä	staircase
porraskäytävä	staircase
portaat	stairs
kerros	floor
tuuletusparveke	shared balcony for ventilation

Other random words

Finnish	English
vuokrasopimus	rental agreement
sisustus	decor
irtisanominen	termination of rental agreement
irtisanomisaika	length of period of notice
häätö	eviction
järjestyssäännöt	house rules in apartment building
putkiremontti	plumbing renovations
julkisivuremontti	renovations to the facade of the building
pintaremontti	surface renovation of the building

That’s all for this article! This article isn’t the only one I have related to housing, living in Finland, moving and renovating. Please check out the following articles as well: