Glossary for life and Finnish in Finland
Short, clear definitions of the Finnish words and terms you meet in everyday life and in your Finnish studies.
Authorities and services
- Kela
The Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Kela pays benefits such as housing allowance, child benefit, unemployment benefit and student financial aid, and runs the national health insurance.
Example
Haen asumistukea Kelasta.
- DVV (Digi- ja väestötietovirasto)
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency. DVV keeps the population register, registers addresses and moves, and gives the Finnish personal identity code.
Example
Tein muuttoilmoituksen DVV:lle.
- Migri (Maahanmuuttovirasto)
The Finnish Immigration Service. Migri decides on residence permits, international protection and Finnish citizenship.
Example
Hain jatkolupaa Migristä.
- Vero (Verohallinto)
The Finnish Tax Administration. It issues tax cards and handles personal taxation.
Example
Tilasin verokortin OmaVerosta.
- Verokortti
A tax card that tells your employer how much tax to withhold from your salary. You need one when you start working in Finland.
Example
Tarvitsen verokortin uutta työtä varten.
- Henkilötunnus
The Finnish personal identity code, given by DVV or Migri. It is needed for banking, health care, work and most official matters.
Example
Mikä on henkilötunnuksenne?
- Työllisyyspalvelut
Public employment services. Since the start of 2025 they have been provided by municipalities instead of the former TE offices.
Example
Ilmoittauduin työnhakijaksi työllisyyspalveluihin.
- Kotoutuminen
Integration: the process of settling into Finnish society. Municipalities and employment services offer integration plans and training, which usually include Finnish courses.
Example
Osallistun kotoutumiskoulutukseen.
- Suomi.fi
The public online service portal of Finland, where you can handle many official matters and receive messages from authorities.
Example
Sain viestin Suomi.fi-palveluun.
- Pankkitunnukset (vahva tunnistautuminen)
Online banking codes or a mobile certificate used for strong electronic identification when logging in to Kela, Vero, Omakanta and other services.
Example
Kirjaudu sisään pankkitunnuksilla.
Health and family
- Terveysasema
The municipal health centre, the first place to contact for non-urgent health care. Appointments are usually booked by phone or online.
Example
Soitan terveysasemalle aamulla.
- 116117
The national medical helpline in Finland. It gives advice on urgent but not life-threatening health problems. In an emergency, always call 112.
Example
Soitin numeroon 116117 yöllä.
- Neuvola
The maternity and child health clinic. Neuvola follows a child’s growth and development and gives vaccinations, free of charge.
Example
Meillä on huomenna neuvola-aika.
- Omakanta
The national online service where you can see your health records and prescriptions.
Example
Reseptini näkyy Omakannassa.
- Päiväkoti
Daycare centre for children under school age, part of early childhood education (varhaiskasvatus).
Example
Lapseni aloittaa päiväkodin elokuussa.
- Wilma
An online system many Finnish schools use for messages between teachers and parents, timetables, absences and assessments.
Example
Opettaja lähetti viestin Wilmaan.
Exams and levels
- YKI (Yleiset kielitutkinnot)
The Finnish National Certificates of Language Proficiency. The Finnish test has three levels and four parts, and is often used to show language skills for citizenship and work.
Example
Teen YKI-testin keskitasolla.
- Perustaso, keskitaso, ylin taso
The three YKI levels: basic (grades 1–2), intermediate (grades 3–4) and advanced (grades 5–6).
Example
Tarvitsen keskitason todistuksen.
- CEFR (eurooppalainen viitekehys)
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which describes language skills on six levels from A1 to C2. SimuCoach covers A1 to B2.
Example
Olen tasolla A2.
- Selkokieli
Easy Finnish: a simplified, clear form of Finnish used in news, books and services for people who are learning the language.
Example
Luen uutiset selkosuomeksi.
Grammar and language
- Kirjakieli
Standard written Finnish, used in texts, the news, official communication and the YKI test.
Example
Minä olen kotona.
- Puhekieli
Everyday spoken Finnish, with shorter forms such as mä (I), sä (you) and oon (am). It varies by region.
Example
Mä oon kotona.
- Sijamuoto
Case: an ending that shows the role of a word in a sentence, often where other languages use a preposition. Finnish is usually said to have 15 cases.
Example
talo → talossa → talosta
- Partitiivi
The partitive case, which marks part of something, an indefinite amount, a negative or an incomplete action.
Example
Juon kahvia.
- Astevaihtelu
Consonant gradation: the regular change of consonants such as kk–k or t–d in the middle of a word when endings are added.
Example
katu → kadulla
- Vokaaliharmonia
Vowel harmony: endings use a, o, u in words with back vowels and ä, ö, y in words with front vowels.
Example
talossa · kylässä
- Verbityyppi
Verb type: Finnish verbs fall into six types according to the ending of the basic form, and each type is conjugated in its own regular way.
Example
puhua (1) · syödä (2) · tulla (3)
- Konditionaali
The conditional mood, marked by -isi-. It is used for polite requests and hypothetical situations.
Example
Haluaisin kahvin.
Questions and answers
What does Kela do?
Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, pays social security benefits such as housing allowance, child benefit and unemployment benefit, and handles national health insurance reimbursements.
What is the difference between DVV and Migri?
DVV keeps the population register and records addresses and personal identity codes. Migri decides on residence permits and citizenship.
Your Finnish, for your real life.
Ten focused minutes a day with a coach who knows your level, remembers your mistakes and explains everything in your language.
Works in the browser on phone and computer. Nothing to install.