In Finnish language there are several ways to say hi. The most formal way to greet is to say “päivää” or “hyvää päivää”. Which means good day. However, Finns like to be semiformal or even casual when greeting. So in spoken language it is perfectly fine just to say “hei”.
If you are meeting with friends or colleagues who you already know, you can say “hei” or more casually “moi”. Other Finnish words for hi are “terve”, “moikka”, “morjens” or “moro”. These are usually used just among friends. They are slightly different, and it might sound a bit funny if used in wrong way, so start just with “hei” and “moi”. Or if you are happy, you can say “moikka” because it makes you smile when you say it.
How to Say Hi in Finnish?
- Hei (semiformal, best choice if you meet someone for the first time)
- Moi (when meeting with friends or colleagues)
- Terve (bit old-school way to say hi but still used today)
- Moikka (this makes makes you smile)
- Moro (casual way to say hi, usually just among friends)
- Morjens (casual way to say hi, usually just among friends)