Dating & Romance

1. Olet hyvin viehättävä. Voinko istua viereesi?

   O-let hy-vin vie-hät-tä-vä. Voin-ko is-tu-a vie-ree-si?

   You are very attractive. May I sit beside you?

   Usage

   In Finland, the informal "sinä" is standard in everyday conversation

   Grammar Note

   Finnish is an agglutinative language with 15 grammatical cases

2. Haluaisitko lähteä kävelylle tai kahville?

   HA-lu-ai-sit-ko LÄH-te-ä KÄ-ve-lyl-le tai KAH-vil-le?

   Would you like to go for a walk or have a coffee?

   Usage

   Coffee culture is strong in Finland; café invitations are a natural first step for dating

   Grammar Note

   "Haluaisitko" is the conditional question form of "haluta" (to want)

3. Voisinko saada puhelinnumerosi?

   VOI-sin-ko SAA-da PU-he-lin-nu-me-ro-si?

   Could I have your phone number?

   Usage

   A natural way to ask for someone's phone number

   Grammar Note

   "-si" is the Finnish second-person singular possessive suffix meaning "your"

4. Nautin todella ajan viettämisestä kanssasi.

   NAU-tin TO-del-la A-jan VIET-tä-mi-ses-tä KANS-sa-si.

   I really enjoy spending time with you.

   Usage

   A warm expression of enjoying time together

   Grammar Note

   "Nauttia + elative (-sta/-stä)" is the construction for "to enjoy something"

5. Sinulla on kaunis hymy.

   SI-nul-la on KAU-nis HY-my.

   You have a beautiful smile.

   Usage

   A natural compliment about someone's smile

   Grammar Note

   "Sinulla on" uses the adessive case (-lla) to express possession: "you have"

6. Haluaisitko lähteä treffeille kanssani?

   HA-lu-ai-sit-ko LÄH-te-ä TREF-feil-le KANS-sa-ni?

   Would you like to go on a date with me?

   Usage

   A direct invitation to go on a date

   Grammar Note

   "-lle" is the allative case ending meaning "to/onto/for"

7. En ole koskaan tavannut ketään sinun kaltaistasi.

   en O-le KOS-kaan TA-van-nut KE-tään SI-nun KAL-tais-ta-si.

   I've never met anyone like you.

   Usage

   A sincere expression of how uniquely special someone is

   Grammar Note

   "En ole...koskaan" is the present perfect negative meaning "I have never"

8. Pidän sinusta todella paljon.

   PI-dän SI-nus-ta TO-del-la PAL-jon.

   I like you very much.

   Usage

   A direct expression of strong affection

   Grammar Note

   "Pitää + elative (-sta/-stä)" is the Finnish expression for "to like someone"

9. Teet minut todella onnelliseksi.

   teet MI-nut TO-del-la ON-nel-li-sek-si.

   You make me very happy.

   Usage

   Expressing the happiness someone brings you

   Grammar Note

   "Onnelliseksi" uses the translative case indicating a change of state to "happy"

10. Kun lähden, tulen kaipaamaan sinua.

    kun LÄH-den, TU-len KAI-paa-maan SI-nu-a.

    When I leave, I'll miss you.

    Usage

    An emotional expression of longing before parting

    Grammar Note

    "Tulen + -maan infinitive" expresses future intention or plan

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