Directions

1. Missä on lähin metroasema?

   MIS-sä on LÄ-hin MET-ro-a-se-ma

   Where is the nearest metro station?

   Usage

   Used to ask for the nearest metro station, especially in Helsinki

   Grammar Note

   Finnish "Missä" asks about location (inessive). "Mihin" asks about direction (illative — where to)

2. Käänny vasemmalle liikennevaloissa

   KÄÄN-ny VA-sem-mal-le LII-ken-ne-va-lois-sa

   Turn left at the traffic lights

   Usage

   Used to give directions to turn left at traffic lights

   Grammar Note

   Vasemmalle uses the allative case -lle (towards). "Oikealle" means to the right. Allative indicates direction

3. Mene suoraan eteenpäin

   ME-ne SUO-raan E-teen-päin

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to continue straight ahead

   Grammar Note

   Eteenpäin combines eteen (illative of etu, front) with the directional postposition päin

4. Kuinka kaukana se on?

   KUI-nka KAU-ka-na se on

   How far away is it?

   Usage

   Used to ask how far away a destination is

   Grammar Note

   "Kaukana" is a locative adverb (far away). "Kauas" is used for direction (how far to go)

5. Onko tämä oikea bussi keskustaan?

   ON-ko TÄ-mä OI-ke-a BUS-si KES-kus-taan

   Is this the right bus to the city centre?

   Usage

   Used to confirm you are on the correct bus heading to the city centre

   Grammar Note

   Illative -taan/-täan means "into". "Keskustaan" is the illative of "keskusta" (city centre)

6. Pysähdy seuraavalla pysäkillä

   PY-sähd-y SEU-raa-val-la PY-sä-kil-lä

   Stop at the next bus stop

   Usage

   Used to tell a driver to stop at the next bus stop

   Grammar Note

   Adessive -lla/-llä means "at/on the surface of". Finnish distinguishes inessive (-ssa, inside) from adessive (-lla, at/on)

7. Voitko näyttää sen kartalta?

   VOI-tko NÄY-ttää sen KAR-tal-ta

   Can you show me on the map?

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to point to a location on a map when verbal directions are unclear

   Grammar Note

   Ablative -lta/-ltä means "from/off". "Kartalta" is the ablative of "kartta" (map)

8. Kaupungin keskusta on kävelymatkan päässä

   KAU-pun-gin KES-kus-ta on KÄ-ve-ly-mat-kan PÄÄS-sä

   The city centre is within walking distance

   Usage

   Used to tell someone the city centre can be reached on foot

   Grammar Note

   "Päässä" is the inessive of "pää" (end/distance). Used idiomatically for distance: "tunnin matkan päässä" = an hour away

9. Eksyin — auttaisitko minua?

   EK-syin — AUT-tai-sit-ko MI-nu-a

   I got lost — could you help me?

   Usage

   Polite phrase used to ask for help when you have lost your way

   Grammar Note

   The conditional (-isi-) is used for polite requests. "Auttaisitko" is the conditional second-person of "auttaa" (to help)

10. Mikä on paras reitti lentokentälle?

    MI-kä on PA-ras REIT-ti LEN-to-ken-täl-le

    What is the best route to the airport?

    Usage

    Used to ask for the best route to the airport

    Grammar Note

    "Lentokentälle" is the allative of "lentokenttä" (airport). Allative -lle indicates direction towards

11. oikealle

    To the right

    Usage

    Point to this in a taxi or when giving directions to mean turn right

    Grammar Note

    "Oikea" alone means both right-hand and correct, so the allative "oikealle" (to the right) is unambiguous; "on the right" is "oikealla"

12. vasemmalle

    To the left

    Usage

    Point to this in a taxi or when giving directions to mean turn left

    Grammar Note

    Allative of vasen (left); "on the left" is "vasemmalla"

13. suoraan eteenpäin

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Point to this to say keep going straight

    Grammar Note

    "Suoraan" on its own is also understood

14. takaisin

    Back (go back)

    Usage

    Point to this to say you have gone too far and want to turn back

    Grammar Note

    "Make a U-turn" is "Käänny ympäri"

15. Pysähtykää

    Please stop

    Usage

    Show this to ask a taxi or bus to stop; "here" is "Tähän"

    Grammar Note

    Plural imperative, hence polite; the singular "Pysähdy" is for someone you know. A road sign reads "Seis"

16. pohjoinen

    North

    Usage

    Use to match a compass direction on a map or road sign; abbreviated "P" on Finnish signs

17. etelä

    South

    Usage

    Use to match a compass direction on a map or road sign; abbreviated "E" on Finnish signs

18. itä

    East

    Usage

    Use to match a compass direction on a map or road sign; abbreviated "I" on Finnish signs

19. länsi

    West

    Usage

    Use to match a compass direction on a map or road sign; abbreviated "L" on Finnish signs

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