Basic Nouns

1. vesi

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Finnish has neither articles nor grammatical gender; the partitive is "vettä"

2. ruoka

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

   Grammar Note

   Partitive "ruokaa"; a meal is "ateria"

3. raha

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

   Grammar Note

   Partitive "rahaa"; coins are "kolikot"

4. vessa

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

   Grammar Note

   The colloquial word; signs use "WC"

5. nenäliina

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

   Grammar Note

   A compound of "nenä" (nose) and "liina" (cloth); a paper one is "paperinenäliina"

6. lääke

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

   Grammar Note

   Plural "lääkkeet"; a pharmacy is "apteekki"

7. matkatavarat

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

   Grammar Note

   Always plural; a compound of "matka" (journey) and "tavarat" (goods)

8. avain

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

   Grammar Note

   Plural "avaimet"; the stem changes

9. lippu

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

   Grammar Note

   Plural "liput"; the same word also means "flag"

10. passi

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

    Grammar Note

    Plural "passit"

11. puhelin

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

    Grammar Note

    Plural "puhelimet"; a mobile is "kännykkä"

12. laturi

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

    Grammar Note

    Derived from "ladata" (to charge)

13. asema

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

    Grammar Note

    A railway station is "rautatieasema"; a metro stop is "metroasema"

14. sairaala

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

    Grammar Note

    Derived from "sairas" (ill)

15. poliisi

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

    Grammar Note

    Used both for the force and for an individual officer

16. kauppa

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

    Grammar Note

    A shopping centre is "kauppakeskus"

17. huone

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

    Grammar Note

    Plural "huoneet"; a hotel room is "hotellihuone"

18. tie

    Road

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

    Grammar Note

    A town street is "katu"

19. perhe

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

    Grammar Note

    Plural "perheet"

20. nimi

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

    Grammar Note

    Surname "sukunimi", first name "etunimi"

21. pää

    Head

    Usage

    Point to this body part to show where it hurts; a headache is "päänsärky"

22. silmä

    Eye

    Usage

    Point to this to indicate an eye problem; both eyes are "silmät"

23. hammas

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point to this for toothache; a dentist is "hammaslääkäri" and toothache is "hammassärky"

24. kurkku

    Throat

    Usage

    Point to this for a sore throat; the ailment is "kurkkukipu"

    Grammar Note

    "Kurkku" means both throat and cucumber. In a clinic or pharmacy it reads as throat, but at a dinner table it will be taken as cucumber

25. vatsa

    Stomach / belly

    Usage

    Point to this for stomach pain; stomach ache is "vatsakipu" and stomach medicine is "mahalääke"

    Grammar Note

    "Maha" is used almost interchangeably and appears more often in medicine names

26. selkä

    Back

    Usage

    Point to this for back pain; back pain is "selkäkipu"

27. alaselkä

    Lower back

    Usage

    Point to this for lower-back pain; a sudden lumbago attack is called "noidannuoli"

    Grammar Note

    Compound of ala (lower) and selkä (back); Finnish has no single word matching Japanese "koshi", and this is the closest

28. jalka

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Point to this for a leg or foot problem, then point at your own body to show exactly where

    Grammar Note

    "Jalka" covers both the whole leg and the foot; the foot proper is "jalkaterä" if you need to be precise

29. käsi

    Hand

    Usage

    Point to this for a hand problem, then point at your own body to show exactly where

    Grammar Note

    In everyday speech "käsi" covers both hand and arm; the arm alone is "käsivarsi"

30. rintakehä

    Chest

    Usage

    Point to this for chest pain; chest pain is "rintakipu", important when reporting cardiac symptoms

    Grammar Note

    "Rinta" alone can mean breast, so "rintakehä" (ribcage) is used when you mean the chest

31. hotelli

    Hotel

    Usage

    Point to this in a taxi or when asking directions; a hostel is "hostelli"

32. lentokenttä

    Airport

    Usage

    Point to this in a taxi or at a station to say you are going to the airport

    Grammar Note

    Signage often uses "lentoasema"; Helsinki's airport is "Helsinki-Vantaa"

33. bussipysäkki

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Point to this to ask where the bus stop is; a coach station is "linja-autoasema"

34. metro

    Metro (subway)

    Usage

    Point to this for the metro; station entrances are marked with a red M

    Grammar Note

    Helsinki is the only Finnish city with a metro; a tram is "raitiovaunu" (colloquially "ratikka")

35. suurlähetystö

    Embassy

    Usage

    Point to this when you need your embassy; a consulate is "konsulaatti"

36. pankkiautomaatti

    ATM

    Usage

    Point to this to ask where you can withdraw cash

    Grammar Note

    Finnish ATMs are almost all branded "Otto." and signed that way, so "Otto" is used colloquially to mean ATM

37. valuutanvaihto

    Currency exchange

    Usage

    Point to this to ask for a currency exchange desk; found at airports and main stations

    Grammar Note

    "Rahanvaihto" means the same; Finland is almost entirely cashless, so exchange counters are scarce

38. itsepalvelupesula

    Self-service laundry

    Usage

    Point to this when looking for a laundromat you operate yourself

    Grammar Note

    "Pesula" alone is a staffed dry cleaner, so the distinction matters; a shared laundry room in an apartment block is "pesutupa"

39. paloauto

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The fire engine itself; to call one, dial the emergency number 112

    Grammar Note

    A compound of palo (fire) and auto (car); the fire brigade is "palokunta" and a fire station is "paloasema"

40. konsulaatti

    Consulate

    Usage

    The consular office headed by a consul; the embassy in the capital is "suurlähetystö"

    Grammar Note

    Covers offices headed by a career consul and by an honorary consul alike; the office as an institution is "konsulinvirasto"

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