Ways to say it
| Finnish | IPA |
|---|---|
| kiitos | /ˈkiːtos/ |
| kiitti | /ˈkiːtːi/ |
The primary way to express appreciation or gratitude is with kiitos. You can increase the intensity of your gratitude by saying kiitos paljon, which means 'thanks a lot' or 'thank you very much'. For even larger expressions of thanks, you can use the phrase suuret kiitokset, meaning 'big thanks'.
Which one should you use?
While kiitos is the standard form, kiitoksia is the partitive form of the word and is frequently used as a common, versatile way to say 'thanks' or 'thank you'. For very casual situations, you may use the colloquial form kiitti.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Kiitos is the standard, widely-used way to say thanks. In contrast, kiitti is an informal and colloquial version. If you need to be more formal, such as when addressing a group or someone of higher authority, you can use the phrase Kiitän teitä, which means 'I thank you'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word can function as a noun meaning 'expression of gratitude'. The plural form kiitokset is used to refer to 'thanks' or 'expressions of gratitude', while it can also refer to 'grateful feelings'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkiːtos/
Did you know?
- Finns often use the word kiitos to signal the end of a transaction or interaction, acting as a social marker that the conversation is finished.
- While kiitos is a noun meaning 'thanks', its root verb kiittää can also mean 'to praise' or 'to commend' in certain contexts.
- The Finnish language handles gratitude through a grammatical case called the partitive, which is why kiitoksia is used as a common variation of kiitos.
Examples in context
- Kiitos, mutta ei kiitos.Thanks, but no thanks.This is useful for expressing a polite rejection.Tatoeba #10179565 by Johannes_S, translation #67362 by CM
- Ei kiitos. Olen raskaana.No thanks, I'm pregnant.This demonstrates how to decline something while providing a reason.Tatoeba #3838343 by Silja, translation #3283007 by Farvoyager
- ”Lisää kahvia?” ”Ei kiitos.”"More coffee?" "No, thanks."This shows how to use the phrase to decline an offer of more drink.Tatoeba #3228431 by Silja, translation #1966978 by mseifert
- Kiitos paljon, kun jaat muistiinpanosi kanssani. Se on äärimmäisen avuliasta.Thanks a lot for sharing your notes with me. It's incredibly helpful.
- Olet ihana! Kiitos ihanasta lahjasta.You're amazing! Thanks for the lovely gift.
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mikko gives Laura a gift.
- MikkoTässä on sinulle pieni lahja.Here is a small gift for you.
- LauraKiitos, se on todella kaunis!Thanks, it is really beautiful!
- MikkoOle hyvä, Laura.You're welcome, Laura.
- LauraKiitos vielä kerran.Thanks once again.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thanks” translations and entries kiitos, kiitti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
