LocationUusimaa region, south coast of Finland.
Dialling code358
Population559,050 (city); 1,240,482 (metropolitan area).
Time zoneGMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Saturday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity220 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temperatures - 5°C (23°F).
Average July temperatures17°C (62°F).
Annual rainfall600mm (23.6 inches).
LanguageIntroductionFinland has two
official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Finnish, a Finno-Ugric language, is spoken by 93% of the population, while Swedish, mostly found in pockets of Finland’s southwest coast, is the mother tongue of 6% of Finns. In remote parts of the north, about 1700 people still speak Sami (more commonly known as Lappish).
The roots of the Finnish language are in the Finno-Ugric linguistic family that includes, in one branch, Finnish, Estonian and a number of permutations and, in the other, Hungarian. Since just five million people speak Finnish, foreign languages are a must for Finns; English, an integral part of the school curriculum, is widely understood. As a hangover from its past, some inhabitants also speak Russian. Most restaurants have menus in Finnish and English.
Helsinkilaiset consider their Finnish the yardstick of cosmopolitan Finland – regional accents are viewed as provincial. There are a number of slang words idiosyncratic to the capital, such as
dosa (bus),
spora or
ratikka (tram),
bisse (beer) and
rooki or
spaddu (cigarette), among others.
Helsinkilaiset are proud of their Finnish language, and rather than adopting English-isms like the French (eg
le ski,
le surf), they coin their own Finnish words in order to preserve their mother tongue.
Phrases
Yes -
KylläNo -
EiHello -
HeiGoodbye -
NäkemiinPlease -
Ole hyväThank you -
KiitosMy name is … -
Minun nimeni on …How are you? -
Mitä kuuluu?I’m very well -
Kiitos hyvääI feel ill -
Olen sairasHow much does it cost? -
Mitä tämä maksaa?Do you speak English? -
Puhutko englantia?I don’t understand -
En ymmärräWhere is...? -
Missä...?Entrance -
SisäänExit -
UlosDanger -
VaaraOpen -
AvoinnaClosed -
SuljettuToilets -
Vessa / WCDoctor -
LääkäriHotel -
HotelliRestaurant -
RavintolaBeer -
OlutWine -
ViiniMenu -
RuokalistaToday -
TänäänTomorrow -
HuomennaMonday -
MaanantaiTuesday -
TiistaiWednesday -
KeskiviikkoThursday -
TorstaiFriday -
PerjantaiSaturday -
LauantaiSunday -
SunnuntaiOne -
YksiTwo -
KaksiThree -
KolmeFour -
NeljäFive -
ViisiSix -
KuusSeven -
SeitsemänEight -
KahdeksanNine -
YhdeksänTen -
KymmenenTwenty -
KaksikymmentäThirty -
KolmekymmentäForty
NelvakymmentäFifty -
ViisikymmentäSixty -
KuusikymmentäSeventy -
SeitsemankymmentäEighty -
KahdeksankymmentäNinety -
VhdeksankymmentäOne Hundred -
SataOne Thousand -
TuhatCost of Living:1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.33; C$1.54; A$1.64 Currency conversion rates as of April 2007Special Events:Helsinki Festival, festival of dance, music, theater, Aug-Sep, various venues
Helsinki Design Week, Sep, various venues
Baltic Herring Market, Oct, Market Square
Forces of Light, illumination of the city, Nov-Dec, throughout the city
Independence Day, honor guard and procession, 6 Dec, Senate Square
Ladies’ Christmas Market, Dec, handicrafts and food, Wanha Satama, City Center
Christmas Market, Dec, Esplanade Square
New Year’s Eve, 31 Dec, Senate Square
Runeberg Day, poet J L Runeberg is commemorated with a day of cake eating, Feb, throughout the city
Helsinki International Boat Show, Feb, Helsinki Fair Center
Helsinki Antique and Art Fair, late Mar- early Apr, Wanha Satama, City Center
May Day, 1 May, throughout the city
World Village Festival, May, international music, arts and food, various venues, city center
Kruununhaka,
Halkolaituri Helsinki Day, 12 Jun, festival celebrating founding day of Helsinki, throughout city
Juhannusvalkeat, 24 Jun, Midsummer’s eve celebration with bonfires, folk music and dancing, Seurasaari Open Air Museum
Helsinki Pride Festival, late Jun – early Jul, lesbian and gay event, Kalsaniemi Park
Storyville Jazz Club, Jul, jazz events, various venues
Helsinki City Marathon, early Aug, around city and coast
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