2.10 Shopping & Money
Introduction
When you go to a store in Finland, you need to know how to ask for items, understand prices, and pay with euros. This note gives you the basic tools to shop confidently, even as a beginner. Everything is explained in plain English with short, easy‑to‑follow sentences.
Why It Matters / When It's Used
Shopping is a daily activity. Knowing the right words helps you avoid confusion, get the right price, and feel more independent. You’ll use these phrases in supermarkets, clothing stores, markets, and when buying tickets or paying for services.
Core Vocabulary
Below are the most common nouns you’ll encounter. Each Finnish word is followed by its English meaning.
- kauppa – shop / store
- tori – market (open‑air)
- hylly – shelf
- hinta – price
- euro – euro (currency)
- sentti – cent (1/100 euro)
- maksaa – to cost / to pay
- maksu – payment
- kassi – bag
- kuitti – receipt
- alennus – discount
- tarjous – offer / sale
- asiakas – customer
- myyjä – seller / shop assistant
- tuote – product
- palvelu – service
Useful Phrases
These ready‑to‑use sentences cover greetings, asking for help, inquiring about price, and paying.
- Mitäs saa? – What can I get for you? (shop assistant)
- Haluan ostaa … – I want to buy …
- Onko tätä saatavilla? – Is this available?
- Paljonko tämä maksaa? – How much does this cost?
- Saanko alennusta? – Can I get a discount?
- Voinko maksaa kortilla? – Can I pay by card?
- Käykö käteinen? – Is cash accepted?
- Antakaa kuitti, kiitos. – Please give me a receipt.
- Voisitteko laittaa tämän pussiin? – Could you put this in a bag?
- Kiitos, näkemiin! – Thank you, goodbye!
Grammar Rules for Prices and Money
Finnish expresses prices in a straightforward way. The structure is usually:
[number] + euroa + [number] + senttiä
If there are no cents, you can say just the euros.
When talking about the total cost of several items, you multiply the unit price by the quantity.
total = price_per_item × quantity
Where:
price_per_itemis the cost of one item (in euros and cents)quantityis how many you buy
Example: 3 × 2,50 € = 7,50 €.
The word euroa is the partitive form of “euro” used after numbers. The same goes for senttiä (cent).
To ask “How much?” you use Paljonko? followed by the item in the partitive case.
Example: Paljonko omena maksaa? – How much does an apple cost?
Example Sentences (Finnish + English)
| Finnish | English |
|---|---|
| Haluan ostaa leipää ja maitoa. | I want to buy bread and milk. |
| Paljonko tämä paita maksaa? | How much does this shirt cost? |
| Se maksaa viisitoista euroa ja viisikymmentä senttiä. | It costs fifteen euros and fifty cents. |
| Voinko saada alennusta, jos ostan kaksi? | Can I get a discount if I buy two? |
| Käykö käteinen vai pitääkö käyttää korttia? | Is cash accepted or do I have to use a card? |
| Antakaa kuitti, kiitos. | Please give me a receipt. |
| Laittaisitteko tämän ostoksen pussiin? | Could you put this purchase in a bag? |
| Kiitos, näkemiin! | Thank you, goodbye! |
| Tämä tarjous on voimassa vain tänään. | This offer is valid only today. |
| Haluan palauttaa tämän tuotteen. | I want to return this product. |
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using the nominative instead of partitive after numbers. Saying viisi euro instead of viisi euroa. Remember: after a number, use partitive (euroa, senttiä).
- Forgetting the verb “maksaa” in questions. Learners sometimes say Paljonko tämä? which sounds incomplete. Add maksaa: Paljonko tämä maksaa?
- Confusing “kortilla” and “kortteja”. To pay by card, say maksaa kortilla (adessive case). Kortteja means “cards” as objects.
- Misplacing the adjective. In Finnish, adjectives usually come before the noun, but in set phrases like halpa hinta (cheap price) the order is fixed. Don’t invert them unnecessarily.
- Overusing English loanwords. While “market” is understood, try to use tori or kauppa to sound more natural.
Practice Exercise
- Translate to Finnish: “I would like to buy three apples, please.”
- Complete the sentence: “Tämä kirja ___ kahdeksan euroa.” (Fill in the correct form of “maksaa”).
- Ask the shop assistant: “Can I pay by card?” in Finnish.
- Write a price: twelve euros and thirty cents.
- Say: “Could you give me a receipt?” in Finnish.
Answer Key:
- Haluaisin ostaa kolme omenaa, kiitos.
- Tämä kirja maksaa kahdeksan euroa.
- Voinko maksaa kortilla?
- Kaksitoista euroa ja kolmekymmentä senttiä.
- Voisitteko antaa kuitin?
Memory Tips / Mnemonics
- Euroa = “Euro‑ah!” Imagine shouting “Euro‑ah!” when you hand over money – the “‑a” ending reminds you of the partitive.
- Senttiä = “Cent‑tee‑ah” Think of a tiny ant (sentti) saying “ah!” – the double “t” and “i” help you recall senttiä.
- Paljonko? Picture a pallet (pallo) full of coins and ask “How much?” – the word paljon means “a lot”.
- Kortilla = “Card‑illa” Visualize a card sitting on a pillow (illa) – the adessive ending -lla means “by/with”.
- Kuitti = “Quick‑it” Remember you want a receipt quickly after paying – the word looks like “quick it”.