SanojaSanoja › Finnish words › Greetings and politeness
How to say "goodbye" in Finnish
näkemiin
Say it: NÄ-keh-meen (ä as in 'cat'). In Finnish, stress is always on the first syllable.
Näkemiin is the formal "goodbye". In everyday speech Finns say hei hei, moi moi or nähdään ("see you").
Goodbyes from formal to casual
| Finnish | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| näkemiin | goodbye | Formal, polite |
| hei hei | bye | Everyday |
| moi moi | bye | Everyday, casual |
| heippa | bye-bye | Casual, friendly |
| nähdään | see you | With people you will meet again |
| nähdään pian | see you soon | Friendly |
Wishing someone well as they leave
Finns often add a good wish when parting. Hyvää päivänjatkoa means "have a good rest of your day", and hauskaa viikonloppua means "have a nice weekend". Hyvää matkaa ("have a good trip") is for someone setting off on a journey.
Example sentences
- Näkemiin!Goodbye!
- Nähdään huomenna.See you tomorrow.
- Hei hei, nähdään pian!Bye, see you soon!
- Hauskaa viikonloppua!Have a nice weekend!
Common questions
What is the most common way to say goodbye in Finnish?
Hei hei and moi moi are the everyday choices. Nähdään (see you) is common when you will meet again.
What does näkemiin mean?
It is the formal word for "goodbye", used in polite or official situations.
Related words
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