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How to say "sorry" and "excuse me" in Finnish
anteeksi
Say it: AHN-tayk-see. In Finnish, stress is always on the first syllable.
Anteeksi covers both "sorry" and "excuse me". Casually, people say sori.
Sorry, excuse me, pardon
| Finnish | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| anteeksi | sorry / excuse me | Everyday, polite |
| sori | sorry | Casual, with friends |
| pahoittelen | I apologise | Formal, written apologies |
| anteeksi, mitä? | pardon? | When you did not catch something |
| ei se mitään | it's nothing / no problem | Replying to an apology |
Getting someone's attention
Anteeksi is also how you stop someone to ask a question, the way English uses "excuse me": Anteeksi, missä on asema? ("Excuse me, where is the station?"). It comes from the phrase antaa anteeksi, "to forgive".
Example sentences
- Anteeksi, missä on asema?Excuse me, where is the station?
- Anteeksi, että olen myöhässä.Sorry I'm late.
- Anteeksi, mitä sanoit?Sorry, what did you say?
- Sori!Sorry!
Common questions
How do you say "sorry" in Finnish?
Anteeksi. Among friends, sori is common.
How do you say "excuse me" in Finnish?
Also anteeksi. The same word works for apologising and for getting someone's attention.
Related words
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