Culture and Customs.

Visitors are unlikely to unintentionally upset Finns because they generally have a laid-back attitude on clothes and etiquette. In most cases, using common sense is sufficient, but there are a few things to keep in mind when showing respect for Finnish culture and customs.

Don't expect to hear words like "thank you" or "you're welcome" all that frequently; Finns are a notoriously reserved people who have little patience for small talk or social niceties. Because there is no word for "please" in the Finnish language, Finns occasionally fail to say it when speaking English, even when they don't mean to be impolite.

The distinction between "he" and "she" is also absent in Finnish, which could result in blundering mistakes. Loud laughing and talking are not typical in Finland and may annoy some Finns. Occasional silence is not seen as a sign of animosity or anger, but rather as a natural component of the dialogue.

Despite this, Finns are often friendly and helpful, and if requested, they are happy to assist lost tourists. The absence of manners is more a result of the strong value placed on honesty in Finnish society and the belief that one should only speak when one truly means what they are about to say. When there is no later time anticipated, refrain from saying "maybe later."

While it's rare that a tourist will encounter many praises from Finns, those that do can be trusted to be sincere. Finns, especially the younger generation, typically speak excellent English thanks to the country's policy of subtitleing rather than dubbing foreign films and TV shows.