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Guia · Unidade 20 · C1
Professional Finnish
Formal register and email
- 1
Sinä or te at work?
Finland's workplaces say sinä — but formal te still lives on. When to use it, and how to switch.
Abrir lição- At work in Finland, sinä and first names are the norm (sinuttelu).
- Teitittely survives with the elderly, in upmarket service, with some senior professionals and in formal letters.
- Formal = te endings + -isi-: Voisitteko…? Lähettäisittekö…? Kiitos viestistänne.
- The switch: Sinutellaanko? — usually offered by the older or senior person.
- When unsure, mirror the other person.
- 2
Hei Tuula: the Finnish work email
Greeting, one clear request, ystävällisin terveisin — and Marina's application email.
Abrir lição- Greeting: Hei Tuula, — formal: Hyvä Tuula Järvinen, / Hyvä vastaanottaja,
- After the greeting's comma, the message starts on a new line with a capital letter.
- One clear request: Voisitko…? Olisin kiitollinen, jos… · Liitteenä on…
- Palaan asiaan is a promise — keep it.
- Close with Ystävällisin terveisin (no comma) and your name.
- 3
Työhaastattelu: the job interview
Strengths, experience, salary and sisu — Marina's interview in the formal register.
Abrir lição- Interview words: hakea, hakemus, ansioluettelo, kokemus, vahvuus, heikkous, vakituinen, palkkatoive.
- Questions: Kertoisitteko itsestänne? Miksi haette tätä paikkaa? Milloin voisitte aloittaa?
- Answer modestly with the conditional: Sanoisin, että… Voisin aloittaa…
- Admit a real weakness — honesty beats boasting in Finland.
- Sinutellaan! — the moment formality ends. Tervetuloa taloon! — welcome aboard.
- 4
Palaveri: meetings — and a letter home
Agendas, deadlines and “ehdottaisin, että…” — then Marina writes to Boston, and Mum writes back in Finnish.
Abrir lição- palaveri / kokous · esityslista (agenda) · määräaika (deadline).
- Speak up politely: Voisinko kommentoida? Ehdottaisin, että…
- Let's: Palataan tähän. Sovitaanko näin? — Sovitaan.
- Minä hoidan sen is a promise — Finnish meetings run on follow-through.
- Register matters: Hei äiti! to family, Ystävällisin terveisin to clients — never the other way round.