Frequently immersing yourself in your target language is one of the cornerstones of successful language learning. But if you don’t live in Finland, the real-life opportunities you have to hear Finnish may be very limited.
Are you worried that this will slow your learning progress? We have good news for you: Listening to recordings of native speakers is the next best thing to having live interactions, and you can do it from the comfort of your home. Even if you don’t have the time to watch Finnish TV shows all the time, you probably do have a couple of minutes every day to listen to a podcast!
Finnish-language podcasts are not only a convenient way to increase your exposure to Finnish; they are also a highly versatile language learning tool with something to offer for every skill level. In this article, we’ll discuss how to make the most of podcasts and introduce you to 10 different Finnish-language podcasts to give your studies a boost.
Enjoy podcasts wherever you are.
Table of Contents
- Why learn Finnish from Podcasts?
- The Top 10 Finnish Podcasts for Language Learners
- How to Make the Most of Listening to Finnish Podcasts
- Lopuksi
1. Why learn Finnish from Podcasts?
What are the benefits of listening to podcasts in Finnish?
First, they’re a convenient way to immerse yourself in the language. You can download episodes of your favorite podcasts and listen to them wherever you are. You can even turn parts of your daily routine into learning opportunities, whether you’ve got half an hour to kill on your commute or are spending a couple of minutes to load the dishwasher. Podcasts are an economical learning tool, as well; there’s a large amount of content out there that’s completely free for you to enjoy!
Listening to Finnish podcasts will complement and enhance all your other language learning efforts. Whenever you listen to podcasts, you’ll improve your listening comprehension skills, be exposed to correct pronunciation and new vocabulary, and solidify your understanding of sentence structures and grammar.
Advanced-level learners have the most to gain: Podcasts offer a rich world of fascinating content in Finnish to keep learning fun and help you stay motivated. But even if you’re a complete beginner, there’s a podcast for you to enjoy. Read on!
Listening to podcasts complements other language learning methods.
2. The Top 10 Finnish Podcasts for Language Learners
1 – Learn Finnish | FinnishPod101
- Level: Absolute Beginner to Advanced
- Theme: Education
- Free content + Premium and Premium PLUS subscriptions
Were you aware that we offer a Finnish language learning podcast? If not, you’re in for a treat! Our frequently updated program caters to Finnish learners of all levels, so whether you’re brand-new to Finnish or are already a confident speaker, we have a wide range of fun lessons that are suitable for you.
Our episodes are geared toward boosting your confidence in speaking Finnish and include plenty of tips to help you progress faster. Our lessons feature dialogue in Finnish, vocabulary and key phrase lists, important grammar points, and cultural insights.
You can download lesson notes and transcripts to make the most of the audio and video material. If you’re a Premium subscriber, you’ll also get access to line-by-line audio, a voice recorder to help you perfect your pronunciation, and a comment section where you can chat with our teachers and ask questions.
You can learn more about how to use the different features and what makes our Finnish learning podcast the best on the FinnishPod101 YouTube channel.
The FinnishPod101 podcast offers something for learners at all skill levels.
2 – Random Finnish Lesson
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Education
- Free
Random Finnish Lesson is a podcast hosted by Finnish teacher Hanna Männikkölahti. Hanna discusses a variety of topics and interviews interesting people. She speaks slowly and clearly, using simpler Finnish than you’d hear in a podcast aimed at native speakers. Random Finnish Lesson is especially great for intermediate learners who are looking to improve their listening comprehension. New episodes are uploaded roughly every few weeks.
3 – Finnish with Armin
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Education
- Free
Finnish with Armin is another podcast aimed at intermediate learners, especially those who are ready to move on to new challenges but aren’t quite confident enough to dive into regular podcasts yet. The podcast is hosted by Reetu, who tells stories about his life in Finland and discusses interesting topics in slow Finnish with a summary provided in English.
The program is currently idle, but the seven available episodes are worth checking out.
4 – Opi suomea!
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Education
- Free
Opi suomea! (“Learn Finnish!”) is also ideal for intermediate-level listeners. Hosted by art student and Finnish tutor Kassu, the podcast is in slow and simple Finnish that’s easy to follow. Each episode is roughly 30 minutes long, and topics include nature, hobbies, rock music, and traditions.
5 – YLE Uutiset selkosuomeksi
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Theme: News
- Free
YLE Uutiset selkosuomeksi (“YLE News in Simple Finnish”) is a podcast produced by the national broadcaster of Finland. Each short episode gives a brief overview of the most important domestic and world news of the day and includes a look at the weather forecast. The Finnish in this podcast is simplified and clearly articulated, making it perfect for intermediate-level learners to follow. Because the episodes are bite-sized, it’s the ideal podcast to incorporate into your daily routine.
If you’re an advanced-level learner who’s looking for a bigger challenge, check out the regular news program (YLE Uutiset) instead.
How’s your weather vocabulary in Finnish? Test it by listening to the weather forecast.
6 – Kaverin puolesta kyselen
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Comedy
- Free
Kaverin puolesta kyselen (“Asking for a Friend”) is one of the most popular podcasts in Finland. In each episode, the hosts Tiia Rantanen and Anna Karhunen discuss hilariously embarrassing situations—which always happened to a “friend,” in case you were wondering!
The podcast already offers over 170 laugh-out-loud episodes, and a new one is uploaded every Friday. This program is in spoken Finnish and regularly uses slang, so it’s best for advanced-level learners and those who specifically want to immerse themselves in spoken Finnish.
7 – Tiedeykkönen
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Science
- Free
Tiedeykkönen (literally: “Science Number One”) is a podcast for curious minds. The program explores a wide range of fascinating topics; you can expect the hosts to discuss anything from cosmology and climate to evolution and psychology. There are already almost 300 in-depth episodes of about 50 minutes each, and new ones are uploaded every Tuesday and Friday.
The information on Tiedeykkönen is presented in a way that’s easily understood by laypeople, and the Finnish is generally well-articulated and not very fast. However, some of the vocabulary can be challenging for language learners.
Why not listen to science podcasts to expand your mind AND improve your language skills?
8 – Jäljillä
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: True Crime
- Free
Jäljillä (“On the Trail of”) is a Finnish true crime podcast that discusses unsolved murders, serial killers, disappearances, and other criminal mysteries from around the world. The program is hosted by Tilda Laaksonen, who discusses the cases in a sensitive manner. Each episode is between 30 and 60 minutes long, and a new one is uploaded every week. Over 100 episodes are currently available. The podcast is great for Finnish learners because Tilda speaks clearly and relatively slowly.
9 – Puheenaihe
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Various
- Free
Puheenaihe (“Talking Point”) is a podcast about the most interesting topics of today. The program covers everything from science and technology to politics and psychology. Recent subjects include cancel culture, the future of the European Union, and artificial intelligence. With over 170 episodes available to date and a new one added weekly, there’s something to interest everyone.
The vocabulary used in the program is fairly advanced, so we recommend it for advanced-level learners.
10 – Jetlagissa
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Travel
- Free
Jetlagissa (“Jetlagged”) is an excellent podcast in Finnish for travel lovers. Hosted by popular Finnish travel bloggers Anna-Katri (creator of the blog Adalmina’s Adventures) and Veera Bianca (creator of the blog Veera Bianca), the program is full of funny stories from the duo’s adventurous travels in exotic locations as well as reflections on life as single 30-something women. Each episode is roughly 30 to 60 minutes long.
The podcast is currently on hiatus until foreign adventures become possible again. However, there are plenty of older episodes to dive into while waiting for new ones. This program is a great listen for advanced learners who want to get more exposure to spoken Finnish and slang.
If you’re an advanced-level learner, there’s no reason you should limit yourself to our recommendations—you could try any podcast aimed at native Finnish speakers! There are tons of programs to discover, and your next favorite podcast could be just a click away.
- Jakso lists a growing number of Finnish podcasts, arranged alphabetically.
- YLE Areena is another great place to find quality podcasts in Finnish. You can sort the programs by suositellut (“recommended”), uusimmat (“latest”), suosituimmat (“most popular”), and tulossa (“coming soon”).
- Supla collects podcasts hosted by Nelonen (“Number Four,” a Finnish TV channel).
3. How to Make the Most of Listening to Finnish Podcasts
By now, we’ve hopefully convinced you to give podcasts a try! But before you hit “play,” read our tips to make sure you reap the maximum benefit from listening to Finnish-language podcasts.
- Pick the right podcasts for you.
Consider your language skills and your learning goals. It’s probably best to pick a program that you can follow comfortably at your level, and then move on to more challenging content as your skills and confidence grow.
- Slow down the audio.
If you find a podcast you enjoy but struggle to keep up because the hosts speak too fast, try slowing the audio down! Look for “1x” near the play button and click or tap on it to adjust the playback speed.
- Keep track of new vocabulary.
As a language learner, you already know the power of repetition when it comes to memorizing new vocabulary! Make sure that the new, interesting words you hear on Finnish podcasts stick in your mind by keeping track of them. You could write them down in a notebook to review later, or add them to the handy flashcard decks available on FinnishPod101.com.
- Make use of transcripts.
You may not always have access to transcripts, but if you do, use them! You can read along while you listen, or return to the transcript later to review and solidify what you learned.
- Make podcasts a part of your daily routine.
Making language learning a part of your daily routine is one of the key habits of successful language learners. Thankfully, podcasts are very easy to incorporate into your schedule! Why not listen to an episode on your coffee break or while folding laundry?
Listen to podcasts daily to immerse yourself in Finnish.
4. Lopuksi
In this guide, we looked at what podcasts can offer language learners and explored 10 interesting Finnish-language podcasts. Are you already a listener? Let us know in the comments if you have any other podcast recommendations or tips for your fellow learners.
FinnishPod101 has a lot more than just a podcast to offer. Take a look at the free resources and vocabulary lists on our website, and find even more learning content on the FinnishPod101 YouTube channel. Do you want to progress faster? Then our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, is for you: It gives you access to a personalized learning program and 1-on-1 coaching with a private teacher—this gives you a chance to ask lots of questions!
What are you waiting for? Create your free lifetime account today.
