20 Sweet Ways to Say I Love You in Finnish

Woohoo! What’s the best way to say “I love you” in Finnish? How do Finns go about this topic in general?

Do you have a Finnish loved one and you want to tell them how much you care?

Whether you are searching for a cute way to signal your interest or wanting to declare that you are soulmates, I can help you navigate the romantic and loving waters of the Finnish language.

Here is what you will find in this article:

“I Love You” in Finnish is “Minä Rakastan Sinua”

This is the big thing! “Minä rakastan sinua” is used in a long-term relationship or when you are about to enter one.

This sentence is never used casually in Finnish culture. In spoken language, it is often shortened as “Mä rakastan sua”. 

As the verb conjugates to show both time and person, you can drop the “I” of the Finnish sentence. The message is the same. So, how to say “I love you” in Finnish:

• I love you = Minä rakastan sinua (standard Finnish)
• I love you = Rakastan sinua (standard Finnish)
• I love you= Mä rakastan sua (spoken Finnish)
• I love you= Rakastan sua (spoken Finnish)

“I Love You Too” in Finnish is “Niin Minäkin Sinua”

The everyday reply “I love you too” doesn’t repeat the verb “to love”.

If it’s your first time saying “I love you” to each other or you want to highlight the meaning of this phrase, it’s a great idea to use the verb “to love” again!

• I love you too = Niin minäkin sinua (standard Finnish)
• I love you too = Minäkin rakastan sinua (standard Finnish)
• I love you too = Niin mäkin sua (spoken Finnish)
• I love you too = Mäkin rakastan sua (spoken Finnish)

Ultimate Declarations of Love in Finnish

If you want to add more power, consider some of these phrases:

• I love you always = Rakastan sinua aina
• I love you forever = Rakastan sinua ikuisesti
• I love you always and forever = Rakastan sinua aina ja ikuisesti
• I love everything about you = Rakastan kaikkea sinussa

The sentences above are awesome as the starter phrases in positive or neutral situations.

In Finnish, the next sentence is fantastic if you have had a fight or somehow you have made your sweetheart upset.

• I love you with all my heart = Rakastan sinua koko sydämestäni

How to Ask “Do You Love Me?” in Finnish

This is another phrase I wouldn’t recommend as a starter. In Finland, you usually don’t hear this question at the beginning of a relationship.

This phrase is used, when you are really unsure of your relationship.

• Do you love me? = Rakastatko sinä minua?

How to Say “I’m in Love With You” in Finnish

These phrases are very strong in the Finnish language. When you say them, it means you are basically ready for a serious relationship.

In Finnish, “to be in love with someone” refers to the intoxicating feeling of love. Picture Beyonce in the video of “Crazy in Love” and you get the idea of how strong that phrase is in Finnish. Yup!

• I’m in love with you = Olen rakastunut sinuun
• I’m in love with you too = Niin minäkin sinuun (standard Finnish)
• I’m in love with you too = Niin mäkin suhun (spoken Finnish)
• I fell in love with you at first sight = Rakastuin sinuun ensi silmäyksellä
• You make me happy = Teet minut onnelliseksi (standard Finnish)
• You make me happy = Sä teet mut tosi onnelliseksi (spoken Finnish)

How to Say “I Miss You” in Finnish

Saying or writing “I miss you” to a Finn is a powerful statement and mostly used only romantically in Finland unless the context is clearly not amorous, for example, if you are texting your mom.

Two people are very close if they are saying “I miss you” to each other in Finland.

• I miss you = Kaipaan sinua (standard Finnish)
• I miss you = Mulla on ikävä sua (spoken Finnish)

How to Say “I Like You” in Finnish 

Verbally, there really are no subtle ways to show your interest in Finnish. For a Finn, all of these phrases mean that you care about them immensely.

However, as the verb “to love” is very powerful in Finnish and it isn’t present in these sentences, you are saying you care but not in such a profound way as with love. Note that you use the last phrase “Olet kiva” only if you are in high school.

• I like you = Tykkään susta
• You are lovely = Olet ihana
• You are important (to me) = Olet tärkeä
• I’m always thinking about you = Ajattelen sinua koko ajan
• You are nice = Olet kiva

How to Show You Care for a Friend or Family in Finnish

From the above-mentioned phrases, here are my three favorite ways of expressing how much I care when it’s about family or friends!

“Olet rakas” is great with very close family members, like parents or siblings. It’s also often used in a relationship.

• You are dear (to me) = Olet rakas

“Olet ihana” is perfect if you are a woman. “Ihana” is a very girly and adorable word for lovely.  A cute sweater can be “ihana”, cool interior can be “ihana” and your friend most certainly is “ihana”.  

On the other hand, my hubby would use “ihana” when he is talking to me but I doubt he would use it to anybody else.

• You are lovely = Olet ihana 

For men and women both, I recommend the phrase “Olet tärkeä”. It’s a very positive phrase to use, when you want to express that a person is an important part of your life. 

• You are important (to me) = Olet tärkeä

In any situation, if you want to be sure that your friend doesn’t misunderstand you (read: no romantic vibes with this one), you can say: 

• Thank you for being my friend = Kiitos että olet ystäväni

How to Pronounce “I Love You” in Finnish

Watch my helpful pronunciation video about how to say “I love you” in Finnish.

Are You Interested in Learning More Finnish?

If you’re curious about learning Finnish, here’s your chance to discover the Finnish language.

With my Conversational Finnish for Beginners Course, you’ll start speaking Finnish today!

To get a small taste of this course and jumpstart your Finnish learning, enroll in my FREE Finnish class – Spark Your Finnish.

After taking this class, you’ll learn that Finnish isn’t as scary as they say. 

Join thousands of students who have become confident Finnish speakers with my online courses.

I can’t wait to help you with your Finnish language journey!

Did you find the perfect phrase for your situation? Would you like to know some other sentence that describes your feelings? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for more information about the Finnish language and culture? Check out some of my other posts:

• Best Free and Paid Finnish Language Learning Resources for Beginners
• 20 Cute Finnish Nicknames for Your Loved One
• Quick Guide to Finnish Language Basics
• 30 Cultural Facts on Finland that Help You Understand Finns
• Famous Finnish Sayings about Life that Will Inspire You