Money & Exchange

1. Missä on lähin pankkiautomaatti?

   MIS-sä on LÄ-hin PANK-ki-au-to-maat-ti

   Where is the nearest ATM?

   Usage

   Used to ask for the nearest ATM when you need cash

   Grammar Note

   Pankkiautomaatti compounds pankki (bank) and automaatti (machine). Card payment is extremely common in Finland

2. Hyväksyttekö luottokortit?

   HY-väk-syt-te-kö LUOT-to-kor-tit

   Do you accept credit cards?

   Usage

   Used to check if a store accepts credit card payment

   Grammar Note

   Finland is one of Europe's most cashless societies. Even small shops often accept card payments

3. Paljonko tämä maksaa?

   PAL-jon-ko TÄ-mä MAK-saa

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Used to ask the price of an item

   Grammar Note

   "Paljonko" is "paljon" (much/many) plus question suffix -ko in contracted form. The standard way to ask prices

4. Voinko maksaa käteisellä?

   VOI-nko MAK-saa KÄ-tei-sel-lä

   Can I pay with cash?

   Usage

   Used to ask if cash payment is accepted (since card is dominant in Finland)

   Grammar Note

   Payment method uses adessive -lla/-llä (with/by). "Kortilla" (by card), "laskulla" (by invoice) follow the same pattern

5. Voisinko saada kuitin?

   VOI-sin-ko SAA-da KUIT-in

   Could I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Used to ask for a receipt after making a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "Saada" (to get) takes a genitive object when the full quantity is received. "Kuitin" is genitive of "kuitti" (receipt)

6. Onko tässä ALV mukana?

   ON-ko TÄS-sä ALV MU-ka-na

   Is VAT included in this?

   Usage

   Used to check whether the displayed price includes VAT

   Grammar Note

   Finnish VAT (ALV) is about 25% in general (25.5% since September 2024), with reduced rates for food, books and medicine. Prices are usually displayed inclusive of VAT

7. Mistä voin vaihtaa valuuttaa?

   MIS-tä VOIN VAIH-taa VA-luut-taa

   Where can I exchange currency?

   Usage

   Used to find a currency exchange office

   Grammar Note

   Finland uses the euro. Currency exchange offices (valuutanvaihtopiste) are at airports, central stations, and city centres

8. Voisinko saada loput vaihtorahana?

   VOI-sin-ko SAA-da LO-put VAIH-to-ra-ha-na

   Could I have the rest as change?

   Usage

   Used when making payment and expecting change back

   Grammar Note

   Essive -na expresses state or capacity: "vaihtorahana" = as change / in the form of change

9. Onko tässä hintavirhe?

   ON-ko TÄS-sä HIN-ta-vir-he

   Is this a pricing error?

   Usage

   Used to politely question whether a displayed price is correct

   Grammar Note

   In Finland, there are consumer protections around mispriced goods. Politely pointing out errors is appropriate

10. Kuinka paljon juomaraha on sopiva?

    KUI-nka PAL-jon JUO-ma-ra-ha on SO-pi-va

    How much tip is appropriate?

    Usage

    Used to ask about appropriate tipping amounts in Finland

    Grammar Note

    Tipping (juomaraha) is not expected in Finland. Around 5–10% at restaurants is appreciated but never obligatory

11. Takuumaksu

    TA-kuu-mak-su

    Deposit

    Usage

    A refundable deposit paid at check-in for hotels or rentals

12. Hyvitys

    HY-vi-tys

    Refund

    Usage

    Used when asking for money to be returned

13. Vakuus

    VA-kuus

    Security deposit

    Usage

    A more formal security deposit, used for rentals or leases

14. Ennakkomaksu

    EN-nak-ko-mak-su

    Prepayment

    Usage

    Used to indicate money paid in advance, e.g. at booking

15. Lisämaksu

    LI-sä-mak-su

    Extra charge

    Usage

    Used to indicate an additional charge added later

16. Palvelumaksu

    PAL-ve-lu-mak-su

    Service fee

    Usage

    Used to indicate a fee charged for a service or procedure

17. käteinen

    Cash

    Usage

    Point to this to say you want to pay in cash; many Finnish businesses are card-only

    Grammar Note

    "In cash" is the adessive "käteisellä"; a cash-only notice reads "Vain käteinen"

18. pankkikortti

    Bank card

    Usage

    Point to this to say you want to pay by card; a credit card is "luottokortti"

    Grammar Note

    "Kortti" alone covers any card including postcards and membership cards, so "pankkikortti" is clearer when paying

19. Maksetaan erikseen

    We'll pay separately

    Usage

    Show this at the till to ask for separate bills; splitting is normal in Finland and rarely refused

20. Yksi lasku, kiitos

    One bill, please

    Usage

    Show this to ask for everything on a single bill

21. vaihtoraha

    Change (money back)

    Usage

    Point to this to ask for or check your change

    Grammar Note

    "Keep the change" is "Pitäkää vaihtoraha"

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