tervehdyksiä

Tervehdyksiä is the Finnish word for greetings. It refers to the acts or phrases used when meeting or addressing others. The form tervehdyksiä is the partitive plural of tervehdykset and is commonly used when speaking about greetings in a general or indefinite sense, for example Lähetän tervehdyksiä ystävilleni (I send greetings to my friends).

In spoken Finnish, several greetings are widely used and carry different levels of formality. Hei is universal and appropriate in most situations. Moi and Terve are casual, especially among peers. Tervehdys is somewhat more formal. Time-specific phrases include Hyvää huomenta (good morning), Hyvää päivää (good day), and Hyvää iltaa (good evening). In social settings, a brief handshake is customary during introductions; Finnish speakers often maintain direct eye contact and a comfortable personal distance. Hugging is less common with people who are not close friends or family.

In written Finnish, greetings can appear as part of a opening line or as references to greeting acts. Common closing formulas in letters and emails are terveisin or Ystävällisin terveisin, which convey respect and formality; tervehdyksiä is more likely to appear when discussing greetings in a general sense rather than as a closing phrase.

Cultural notes include the preference for straightforward and concise communication. The choice of greeting depends on factors such as age, setting, and relationship, with younger speakers favoring brief forms like Hei or Moi and older speakers sometimes using more formal greetings, especially in public or official contexts. Overall, tervehdyksiä as a concept encompasses both the linguistic forms and the social etiquette surrounding Finnish greetings.