hei
/ˈhei̯/
The English phrase "hey" can be translated into Finnish as hei. Wiktionary also lists terve.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| hei | /ˈhei̯/ |
| terve | /ˈterʋeˣ/ |
Both hei and terve serve as informal greetings. While hei is the most common way to say "hi" or "hey", it is a versatile and standard greeting.
Which one should you use?
hei is the standard, common way to greet someone. terve is an informal greeting that can be used interchangeably with hei or moi, but it may feel slightly more old-fashioned or blunt. The word moi is also a common way to say "hi" or "hey", but hei is considered slightly more standard and versatile than the more casual moi.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both hei and terve are informal. terve is also informal but carries a more blunt or traditional tone.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈhei̯/
Did you know?
- The greeting terve is actually the root word for 'healthy' in Finnish. Using it to say 'hey' is essentially wishing the other person good health.
- While hei and moi are common greetings, moi is also frequently used as a way to say 'bye'.
- In very casual settings, Finns often double their greetings, saying moi moi when leaving or hei hei to sound more friendly.
Examples in context
- Hei, oletko sinä Tom?Hey, are you Tom?This example shows how to use hei when asking someone's identity.Tatoeba #4044563 by Sling, translation #2648826 by CK
- Hei, mikä on ongelma?Hey, what's wrong?This example shows how to use hei when asking about a problem.Tatoeba #4423294 by Orava, translation #3575363 by CK
- Hei, älä koske mitään!Hey, don't touch anything!This example shows how to use hei to get someone's attention during an instruction.Tatoeba #7834257 by Thanuir, translation #2271408 by CK
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juho and Emma meet on the street.
- JuhoHei, Emma!Hey, Emma!
- EmmaHei, Juho.Hey, Juho.
- JuhoMitä kuuluu?How are you?
- EmmaKiitos, hyvää.Thanks, I'm good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hey” translations and entries hei, terve, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
