This article contains many useful phrases you could use when saying thank you in Finnish. In addition to providing you with basic phrases, I find it especially important for you to understand what cases you should be using in your sentences when you’re thanking someone.

1. General Phrases

There are many ways to say “thank you” in Finnish. In the table below, you will notice that multiple case endings can be used: there’s the basic form kiitos, the plural partitive kiitoksia and the T-plural kiitokset. Rather than trying to analyze these, I recommend just learning these the way they are presented.

2. Kiitos + kenelle – Thanks to

The “you” of “thank you” in Finnish will get the mille-form (allative case). For the singular, it’s kiitos sinulle and for the plural kiitos teille.

3. Kiitos + mistä – Thanks for

Saying “thank you” for something requires the mistä-form (elative case).

4. Kiitos + että/kun

We can also add a sentence after kiitos. In Finnish you will use either että or kun for this. There is a small difference between the two, but it’s hard to pinpoint it. In English, you generally use the -ing form of the verb in these sentences.

I have opted to use the sinä-form in most of these example sentences. If it’s a business thanking its customers, you’re also likely to see the te-form, which is more polite. However, compared to for example French, Finnish uses the polite plural form significantly less often.

5. Other Kiitos Phrases

These phrases are also important, but don’t quite fit in the lists above.

6. Kiittää – To thank

The verb kiittää means “to thank”. This verb does not require the mille-form like kiitos (e.g. kiitos sinulle). Instead, kiittää is a partitive verb, so you will use the partitive case (e.g. kiitän sinua). If you include the reason for your thanks, you will use the mistä-form (e.g. kiitos avusta, kiitän avusta).

Let’s end this article with a Finnish saying, which is perfect for all learners of Finnish. It’s a Finnish phrase that means: “Good things will come to those who work for them”; literally “In the end, the thanks will stand”.

Alku aina hankala, lopussa kiitos seisoo.

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Communication – Finnish Vocabulary The Press – Finnish Vocabulary Finnish Abbreviations – Lyhenteitä Supporting a Friend – Finnish Vocabulary Phrases