Meaning
Stating that the price is high.
Cultural Background
Finns value honesty and directness. Stating that something is expensive is not an insult to the shopkeeper; it's a personal financial assessment. High prices are often associated with high quality and ethical production. 'Kallis' can sometimes imply 'premium'. At a 'tori' (outdoor market), prices are usually fixed, but expressing that something is 'kallis' might lead the vendor to explain why it's special. It is common to talk about how expensive electricity or gasoline has become as a way to start a conversation with a stranger.
Use 'tosi'
Add 'tosi' (really) before 'kallis' to sound more like a native speaker.
Partitive Trap
Remember that if you are talking about 'coffee' or 'beer', you must say 'kallista', not 'kallis'.
Meaning
Stating that the price is high.
Use 'tosi'
Add 'tosi' (really) before 'kallis' to sound more like a native speaker.
Partitive Trap
Remember that if you are talking about 'coffee' or 'beer', you must say 'kallista', not 'kallis'.
The 'Onpa' Trick
Use 'Onpa kallis!' to express surprise. It's more natural than a full sentence.
Complaining is OK
Don't be afraid to say something is expensive; it's a standard part of Finnish small talk.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.
Tämä auto ___ kallis.
'On' is the correct 3rd person singular form of the verb 'olla' (to be).
Fill in the missing word for 'expensive'.
Tämä kello on ______.
The nominative singular form is 'kallis'.
Match the Finnish phrase with its English translation.
Phrases: 1. Tämä on kallis, 2. Tämä on halpa, 3. Onpa kallis!
Basic vocabulary matching.
Complete the dialogue.
Asiakas: Onko tämä kirja kallis? Myyjä: Ei, se on ___ (cheap).
'Halpa' is the opposite of 'kallis'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Kallis vs. Halpa
Common Expensive Things in Finland
Services
- • Kampaaja
- • Remontti
Goods
- • Auto
- • Alkoholi
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTämä auto ___ kallis.
'On' is the correct 3rd person singular form of the verb 'olla' (to be).
Tämä kello on ______.
The nominative singular form is 'kallis'.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Basic vocabulary matching.
Asiakas: Onko tämä kirja kallis? Myyjä: Ei, se on ___ (cheap).
'Halpa' is the opposite of 'kallis'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but it sounds very old-fashioned or like a translation from a religious text. Use 'rakas' for 'dear'.
The opposite is 'halpa' (cheap).
That is the partitive case, used for uncountable things like 'coffee' or 'love'.
No, it's a neutral observation in Finland.
You can say 'erittäin kallis' or 'tosi kallis'.
No, Finnish has no grammatical gender. 'Kallis' works for everything.
It's slang for 'extremely expensive' (literally 'pig-expensive').
Tämä oli kallis.
No, use 'korkea' for height. 'Kallis' is only for price/value.
It's slightly more formal, like 'pricey' vs 'expensive'.
Related Phrases
Tämä on halpa
contrastThis is cheap
Tämä on arvokas
similarThis is valuable
Se maksaa paljon
synonymIt costs a lot
Hintava
specialized formPricey
